LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 
CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


c 


OF 


THOMAS  WHITTEMORE,  D.D 


BY 

JOHN    G.  ADAMS,  D.D. 


I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith. 

ST.  PAUL. 
Next  to  the  Bible,  Christian  biography  is  the  most  profitable  reading. 

NORMAN  MACLEOD,  D.D. 


BOSTON: 
UNIVERSALIST   PUBLISHING   HOUSE. 

1878. 


Copyright,  1877, 
BT  UNIVERSALIST  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 


Cambridge: 
Press  of  John  Wilson  and  Son. 


TO    THE 

UNIVERSALIST    CHURCH    OF    AMERICA, 
5Efjfe  fHemott 

OF     ONE    OF    HER    ABLE    AND    FAITHFUL    MINISTERS    AND    DEFENDERS 
IS    RESPECTFULLY    AND    FRATERNALLY    DEDICATED. 


PREFACE. 


No  word  of  apology  or  explanation  is  needed  in  offer- 
ing to  the  public  the  memoir  contained  in  the  following 
pages.  The  subject  of  it  was  widely  known  for  more 
than  forty  years  in  New  England  as  well  as  in  other 
parts  of  our  country.  He  belonged  to  the  Church  Uni- 
versal, and  to  the  Universalist  Church  especially  and 
emphatically.  One  who  knew  him  long  and  intimately, 
and  whose  good  judgment  was  unquestioned  (Rev.  Dr. 
H.  Ballou),  pronounced  him  to  have  been  "  the  people's 
man  above  any  other  in  our  denominational  history." 

The  author  of  this  memoir  can  truly  say  that  the 
writing  of  it  on  his  part  has  been  a  labor  of  love.  He 
had  enjoyed  a  long  fraternal  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
Whittemore,  had  profited  by  his  wise  counsellings  when 
he  most  needed  them,  and  had  been  edified  and 
strengthened  in  a  sympathy  of  soul  enjoyed  as  a  co- 
worker  with  him  in  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel  of 
Divine  Grace. 

In  preparing  this  memoir  for  the  press,  it  has  been 
the  intention  of  the  writer  to  present  the  man  and  the 
minister  as  he  was  known  when  living,  and  as  he  is 
remembered  by  many  now  that  he  has  passed  on.  We 
have  aimed  to  condense  the  matter  in  hand.  It  has 


iv  PREFACE. 

been  more  difficult  to  decide  what  to  leave  out  than 
what  to  insert,  where  the  materials  for  use  were  so 
ample. 

To  those  acquainted  with  Mr.  Whittemore,  a  perusal 
of  these  pages  will,  we  think,  bring  their  past  realization 
of  his  person  and  his  work  vividly  to  remembrance. 
To  the  younger  members  of  the  Universalist  fraternity 
we  commend  his  busy,  practical,  and  earnest  life ;  and 
to  our  younger  ministers  that  loyalty  to  our  common 
cause  which  he  so  constantly  manifested,  and  especially 
that  devotion  and  zeal  which  made  him  such  a  kindling 
and  magnetic  life-power  wherever  his  ministries  ex- 
tended. Were  he  now  with  us  as  in  other  days,  they 
would  find  in  him  a  cordial  participator  in  all  their 
endeavors  to  promote  the  true  life  of  the  Christian 
Gospel  in  human  souls. 

May  the  divine  blessing  attend  the  reading  of  this 
record  of  him. 

J.  G.  A. 

MELROSE  HIGHLANDS,  Mass., 
Dec.  1, 1877. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

1821-1828. 
AGED     21-28. 

PAGE 

Autobiography  —  Ancestry  in  England  —  Recapitulation  —  Ac- 
quaintance with  Rev,  Hosea  Ballou —  First  Sermon  —  Pastorate 
at  Milford  —  At  Cambridgeport — The  Editor  —  The  Preacher 

—  Rev.  Walter  Balfour —  Discussion  with  Rev.  O.  Scott  —  Visit 

to  the  West  —  Declines  Invitation  to  settle  there 13 

CHAPTER    H. 

1828-1830. 
AGED  28-30. 

The  Trumpet ;  its  character  — Visit  to  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons  —  Meetings 

—  Rockingham  Association  —  Preaches  at  Portsmouth,  Exeter, 
Sterling  —  Meeting  in  New  Hampshire  —  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  — 
Lowell  meetings  —  Sunday  Mail  Question  —  Ancient  History  of 
Universalism  —  Meetings  —  Rev.    M.    Rayner  —  Prof.    Stuart's 
Essay  —  Lectures  by  Messrs.  Merritt  and  Fisk  —  General  Con- 
vention at  Winchester  —  Unitarian  Statement  — Woburn  —  Mod- 
ern History  of  Universalism  —  At  Dedham 29 

CHAPTER    HI. 

1830-1833. 
AGED   30-33. 

Dr.  E.  S.  Ely  and  Universalists  —  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher's  opposition 

—  Rev.  Mr.  Atkinson's  ordination  —  Dr.  Ely's  Reply  to  Mr.  Whit- 
temore,  and  Answer  to  it  —  General  Convention  at  Lebanon,  N.H. 


vi  CONTENTS. 

PAQK 

— Dedication  at  Annisquam  —  Mr.  Whittemore's  resignation  at 
Cambridgeport  —  Elected  representative  —  Third  Article  of  Bill 
of  Rights  —  Mr.  Whittemore's  course  and  speech  —  Alteration 
effected  —  His  interest  in  the  town  of  Cambridge  —  Anecdote  — 
Controversy  with  Universalists,  how  to  be  carried  on  —  Rocking- 
ham  Association  —  General  Convention  at  Barre,  Vt.  —  Nomi- 
nated for  the  Senate  —  Notes  on  the  Parables  —  McC  lure's  Lec- 
tures on  Ultra-Universalism  —  Singular  concession  of  the  author 

—  Rockingham  Association  —  Journey  of  a  week  —  New  edition 
of  Murray's  Life  —  Services  in  South  Boston  —  Journey  to  New 
Hampshire  —  Ordination  at  Rumney  —  Meeting  at  Wentworth, 

at  Concord,  at  Sandown 46 

CHAPTER    IV. 

1833-1836. 
AGED  33-36. 

Kockingham  Association,  1833  —  General  Convention  at  Strafford, 
Vt.  —  Scenery  on  the  journey  —  Sippican  —  Opposition  at  Dan- 
vers  —  Rev.  M.  P.  Braman  —  Public  discussion  with  him  —  Com- 
ments upon  it  —  Journey  of  a  week  —  Ware,  Brimfield,  dedication 
at  Spencer  —  Boston  Association  —  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke,  and 
One  Hundred  Arguments — Rockingham  Association,  1834  — 
General  Convention  at  Albany,  N.Y.  —  Visit  to  northern  New 
Hampshire  —  Boston  Association  —  Discussion  respecting  zeal 

—  Mr.  Whittemore's  views   of    conference,  prayer,  and   praise 
meetings  —  Capital  Punishment  —  Temperance  —  Visit  to  Maine, 
and    Lectures  —  Brunswick,     Topsham,    Bowdoinham — Maine 
Convention  —  Dr.   Beecher —  Rockingham  Association,   1835  — 
Jubilee     Session    of   U.S.  Convention  —  Boston  Association  — 
Stoughton  —  Dedication  at  West   Rumney,  N.H.  —  Meetings  in 
New  Hampshire  —  Discussion  again  on   conference  and  prayer 
meetings  —  Mr.  Whittemore's  views  of  them G3 

CHAPTER    V. 

1836-1840. 
AGED    36-40. 

Murray's  tomb  —  Mass.  Convention  at  Wrentham  —  New  musical 
work  —  Study  of  Harmony  —  Letter  to  a  friend  —  Songs  of  Zion 

—  Convention  Sermon  —  Temperance  —  Ideas  of  Christ  —  Dedi- 


CONTENTS.  VU 

PACK 

cation  at  Maiden  —  Rockingham  Association  at  Epping ;  Dedi- 
cation—  U.S.  Convention,  New  York  —  Dedication  in  Essex  — 
Lowell  and  Exeter — Installation  at  Pliillipston  —  Rockingham 
Association  at  Salem,  N.H. — Installation  at  Nashua — Newton 
Upper  Falls,  grove  meeting  —  Mass.  Convention  at  Maiden  — 
Removal  of  Murray's  remains  to  Mount  Auburn  —  U.S.  Con- 
vention at  Philadelphia  —  Washington,  Baltimore,  Fredericks- 
burg,  New  York  —  Extemporaneous  speaking — Installation  at 
Lamprey  River  —  Ministerial  education  —  Installation  at  Me- 
thuen  —  Prosecution  of  Abner  Kneeland  —  Funeral  of  Rev.  W. 
C.  Hanscom  —  Dedication  at  Andover  —  Ministerial  education 
again — Rockingham  Association  at  South  Hampton — U.S. 
Convention  at  Boston  —  Creeds  —  R.  W.  Emerson's  Address  at 
Cambridge  —  Chester,  N.H. — Notice  of  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin  — 
Religion  and  Common  Schools  —  Worship  of  Christ  —  Nashua  — 
Conference  at  Danvers  —  To  believers  scattered  abroad  —  A 
theological  institution  —  New  Hampshire  Convention  at  Nashua 
—  Rockingham  Association  at  Hampstead — Death  of  Rev.  T. 
F.  King — Dedication  at  Waltham  ;  Monument  to  Hanscom  — 
Fire  at  Cornhill  —  Self-sacrifice  —  Dedication  at  South  Reading  — 
Miller  excitement  —  Plain  Guide  to  Universalism  —  Debate  with 
Rev.  Parsons  Cooke  —  Progress  of  Universalism  —  Editorial  in- 
dependence    .  .  84 


CHAPTER    VI. 

1840-1813. 
AGED   40-43. 

Unitarianism  and  Universalism  —  State  Convention  at  New  Bedford 
. —  Views  on  future  punishment  —  Movement  of  Restorationists  — 
Desire  for  union  — Dedication  and  Church  Recognition  at  Con- 
cord, Mass.  —  Statement  of  Rev.  Dr.  Lowell  and  comments  — 
Dedication  at  Newburyport  —  The  Banker  —  Theological  Semi- 
nary—  Temperance  Reform  —  Rev.  Theodore  Parker — Gospel 
Harmonist  —  Rockingham  Association — Seminary  meeting  at 
Worcester  —  U.S.  Convention  at  New  York  —  Knapp  excitement 
—  Rev.  O.  A.  Skinner's  Review  of  it  —  Temperance  Lectures  — 
Twenty  years'  experience— Conference  at  East  Cambridge  — 
U.S.  Convention  at  Providence  —  Conference  at  Marblehead  — 
Rev.  G.  E.  Channing  on  Unitarianism,  and  Mr.  Whittemore's 
comments 


viu  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    VH. 

1843-1844. 
AGED  43-44. 

PAGE 

Conferences  at  Danvers,  Lynn,  Charlestown,  Cambridgeport,  Salem, 
East  Cambridge  —  Conference  Hymn-book  —  Conference  at  School 
Street  Church  —  At  Newburyport — Discourse  on  Modern  History 
of  Universalism  —  Answer  to  the  question,  Has  Universalism 
changed?  —  Conference  at  West  Cambridge,  "\Voburn  —  Massa- 
chusetts Convention  at  Plymouth — Dedication  at  Saco,  Me. — 
Conference  at  South  Reading — Meeting  at  Winchester,  N.H. — 
Rockingham  Association  —  Journey  to  the  West  —  Visit  to  Ni- 
agara Falls  —  Buffalo  —  U.S.  Convention  at  Akron,  0. — Acci- 
dent returning  from  Hingham  —  Conferences  at  Marblehead, 
Lynn,  Danvers  —  Improper  singing  —  Massachusetts  Convention 
at  Worcester  —  Notice  of  an  accusation  —  Tour  to  the  White 
Mountains 127 

CHAPTER    Vm. 

1844-1847. 
AGED  44-47. 

Paige's  Commentary  —  Rev.  T.  Parker  and  Unitarians  —  A  Glouces- 
ter veteran  —  Conference  at  Medford  —  Temperance  festival  at 
Acton  —  Denunciation,  and  Answer  to  it — U.S.  Convention  in 
Boston  —  Mr.  Emerson  on  Swedenborg  —  Temperance  and  some 
mistakes  of  its  friends  — Protest  of  Universalists  against  Amer- 
ican Slavery  —  Evils  of  Fiction-writing  —  Massachusetts  Con- 
vention at  Hingham  —  Proposed  Reform  Association  —  Miracles 
and  Magnetism  —  37  Cornhill  —  U.S.  Convention  at  Troy,  N.Y.  — 
Remarks  on  Convention  work — Boston  Association  in  Maiden  — 
Home  Missionary  work  —  Statements  of  Rev.  Dr.  Pond,  and 
Remarks  —  Criticism  of  Christian  Reflector  and  Reply  — A  Western 
editor  on  Theological  Institutions,  and  Reply 147 

CHAPTER    IX. 

1847-1849. 
AGED   47-49. 

Too  lively  —  A  visit  South  —  Reform  Association  —  J.  Victor  Wilson 
—  Dr.  Bushnell  —  Rockingham  Association  at  Brentwood,  N.H.  — 


CONTENTS.  IX 

PAGE 

U.S.  Convention  at  New  York — John  M.  Edgarton  —  Duty  of  an 
editor  —  Andrew  Jackson  Davis  and  his  Revelations — Boston 
Association  at  Lynn  —  Extra  Session  at  Cambridgeport  —  Anti- 
Sabbath  Convention  —  Commentary  on  the  Apocalypse  —  Reform 
Festival — Purity  of  the  Ministry  —  Rockingham  Association  at 
Epping,  N.H.  —  Ignorance  of  Universalism  —  Boston  Association 
—  Christian  Progress  —  Too  controversial 167 


CHAPTER    X. 

1849-1851. 
AGED  49-51. 

The  Railroad  President  —  Visit  to  Bath,  Me.  —  Anniversary  Week 
—  Massachusetts  Convention  —  Universalism  dear  to  Universal- 
ists  —  Religious  Insanity — Visit  to  the  West  —  U.S.  Convention 
at  Cincinnati  —  Fugitive-slave  Law  —  Notice  of  book  —  Visit  to 
Montpelier,  Vt.  —  Boston  Association — Bibliotheca  Sacra  — 
Controversy —  Suggestion  to  stop  preaching,  and  Reply  —  Letter 
of  Rev.  John  Foster  —  Anniversary  Week  and  Reform  Asso- 
ciation —  Speech  —  Revivals,  how  regarded  —  Massachusetts 
Convention  in  Milford  —  Sabbath  at  Medford  —  The  Bible  and 
Creeds  —  Execution  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Webster  —  U.  S.  Convention  in 
Buffalo,  N.Y.  — Niagara — Address  before  Samaritan  Society  — 
Rev.  J.  Wesley  and  Dr.  A.  Clarke  —  Women's  Convention  at 
Worcester  —  Death  of  Rev.  M.  Rayner —  Professor  Stuart  and 
his  Opinions 186 


CHAPTER    XI. 

1851-1852. 
AGED   51-52. 

Sickness  —  Spirit  Rappings  —  The  name  Universalist — Services  at 
Milford,  Mass. — The  Papal  Church — Anniversary  Week  — 
Festival  —  Editorial  Chair  —  Rev.  D.  Thorn  of  Liverpool  —  U.S. 
Convention  in  Boston  — A  Preacher  for  England  — What  is  New- 
England  Theology? — A  Journey  —  Layman's  Letter — College 
Trustees' Meeting — Rev.  O.  Dewe^'s  Lecture  —  Death  of  Rev. 
W.  Balfour —  The  new  College  —  Mrs.  Soule's  Letter  —  Visit  to 
Washington  and  other  Places  —  Memoir  of  Rev.  W.  Balfour  — 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Lawrence,  Mass.  —  Proposal  to  Dr.  Edward  Beecher  —  Anniver- 
sary Week  —  Festival  Speeches  —  Massachusetts  Convention  at 
Plymouth  —  Elness  of  Her.  Hosea  Ballou — His  Death  —  Criti- 
cism on  Jtev.  Walter  Colton  211 


CHAPTER    XH. 

1852-1854. 
AGED  52-54. 

U.S.  Convention  at  New  York  —  Mr.  Higginson's  Sermon  —  A  Ques- 
tion asked  and  answered — Should  Universalists  be  aggressive? 

—  Site  of  Tufts  College  — Life  Sketch  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer  — 
Sonnet  —  Foot-notes  —  Irish  Repartee — Death  of  Rev.  Edward 
Turner  —  Anniversary  Meetings  —  Reform  Festival  —  Mr.  Whit- 
temore's  Speech  —  Rev.  Theodore  Parker  —  Rev.  Dr.  Sharp  — 
Laying  Corner-stone  of   Tufts  College  —  Stale  Joke  noticed  — 
Spiritualism  —  Rockingham    Association  —  Preaches    in    New 
York  —  Dr.  E.  Beecher's  "Conflict  of  Ages"  —  Boston  Associ- 
ation —  Controversy   among  Brethren  —  Mr.    Whittemore    on 
Future  Punishment  —  Remarks  —  Professor  Maurice  —  Dr.  Bal- 
lou visits  Europe  —  Anniversary  Week  —  Excitement  —  Festival : 
Mr.  Whittemore's  Speech  —  Letter  from  Rev.  T.  Clapp  —  Ortho- 
doxy of  the  past  and  present  —  U.S.  Convention  in  Philadelphia 

—  E.  Kingston,  N.H.  —  Warren,  Mass.  —  Attack  of  Paralysis  — 
Hard  Work  —  Expostulation  of  Friends 234 


CHAPTER    XTTT. 

1854-1857. 
AGED   54-57. 

Tufts  College  —  Dr.  W.  E.  Channing  —  Rev.  John  Moore  —  A 
Friend's  Approval  —  Wesleyan  Methodists  —  A  Correspondent 
—  Professor  Stuart  —  Unitarians  and  Parkerism  —  Mr.  Clark's 
Telescope  —  Anniversary  Week —  Festival  ;  Mr.  Whittemore's 
Speech  —  Installation  of  Rev.  H.  Jewell  —  Revivals  under  Ed- 
wards and  Whitfield  —  Unqualified  preachers  —  Opening  of 
Tufts  College  —  Mr.  Whittemore's  Address  —  Rockingham  As- 
sociation at  Brentwood,  N.H.  —  U.S.  Convention  at  Middletown, 


CONTENTS.  xi 

PAGE 

Ct.  —  South  Hampton,  N.H.  —  Death  of  Rev.  H.  Bacon  —  Anni- 
versary Week  —  Speech  at  Reform  Meeting—  Massachusetts 
Convention  at  Haverhill  —  Sandown,  N.H.  —  Lowell,  Mass.  — 
Progressive  Christianity  —  First  Anniversary  at  Tufts  College  — 
Connecticut  Convention  at  New  Haven  —  Preaches  in  Carver, 
Stoneham,  Franklin,  Plymouth,  and  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  Kings- 
ton, N.H.  —  Visit  to  Concord,  N.H. — Commentary  on  Book  of 
Daniel  —  Dedication  at  Maiden  —  Rev.  Mr.  Finney 266 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

1857-1858. 
AGED  57-58. 

Keeping  up  with  the  Times  —  Applications  to  preach  —  Woonsocket, 
R.I.  —  Anniversary  Meetings  —  Address  —  Eight  Days'  Labor  — 
Commencement  at  Tufts  College  —  Address  —  Visit  to  Connect- 
icut and  the  West — Niagara  again  —  First  Visit  to  Chicago  — 
Springfield,  111.  —  U.S.  Convention  at  Chicago  —  Various  kinds 
of  Universalists  —  Conference  at  Roxbury  —  Barnstable  —  Con- 
ference and  Funeral  at  Salem  —  Conference  at  Worcester  — 
Visit  to  Rockport,  Mass.  —  Conference  at  Lawrence  —  Middle- 
boro,  Mass.  —  Book  of  Rev.  C.  F.  Hudson  —  Conference  at  Cam- 
bridgeport  —  In  Milford,  Mass.  —  Address  of  Rev.  E.  T.  Taylor 

—  The  Religious  Revival  —  Interest  of  Universalists  in  it  —  The 
true  Interest  urged —  "  Too  Much  Zeal  "  —  Visits  to  the  "Black 
Sea  "  in  Boston 288 

CHAPTER    XV. 

1858-1859. 
AGED  58-59. 

Anniversary  Week  —  Speech  —  Orange,  Mass.  —  Visit  to  Vermont 

—  Commencement  at  Tufts  —  Review  of  Rev.  T.  Starr  King  — 
The  Old    Testament  —  Visit   to   Norway,    Me.  —  Rockingham 
Association  —  Fitchburg  —  Vermont  Convention    at    Bethel  — 
Connecticut   Convention  at   Granby — Universalism   conducive 
to   Purest  Piety  —  U.S.  Convention  at  Providence  —  Sippican, 
Mass.  —  Ilinsdale,    N.H.  —  South  Acton,  Mass.  —  Conference  in 
Boston  —  In    Roxbury  —  Woman    Preaching:    Mrs.   Jenkins  — 
Nomination  of  a  Minister  for  Congress  —  New  Bedford  —  Law- 
rence,  Mass.  —  Methuen  —  Conference    at    Mattapoisett  —  At 
Worcester — Sabbath    hi    Lowell — Rockport — Marblehead  — 


xii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Lynn  —  Dr.  Ballou's  Notice  of  Mr.  Whittemore —  Manchester, 
N.H.  —  Dedication  Sermon  at  Cambridgeport  —  North  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.  —  Annisquam  —  Interesting  Incident  —  Visit  to 
Milford,  Mass.  —  Palmer  —  Southbridge  —  Salem  —  The  Main 
Question  —  The  Doctorate 310 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

1859-1860. 
A.GED    59-60. 

Anniversary  Week — Festival  in  Music  Hall — Father  Taylor's 
Speech  —  Mass.  Convention  in  Milford  —  West  Boylston  — 
Palmer — Norwich  —  Biddeford — Thoughts  on  his  Ministry  — 
The  New  Massachusetts  Convention  —  Martha's  Vineyard  — 
Dedication  at  South  Reading  —  Westf ord  —  Stoughton  —  Wey- 
mouth  —  Doctrinal  Sermons — Wareham  —  Norfolk  Co.  Associ- 
ation—  Rockport — U.S.  Convention  in  Rochester,  N.Y.  —  New 
York  Independent  on  Universalism :  Call  for  Discussion  —  Rev. 
Adin  Ballou :  Reciprocal  Words  —  Visit  to  Boxboro',  Mass.  . 

—  Abington  —  Marlboro'  —  What  begets  Love  to  God  —  Visits 
Maine  —  Westmoreland,  N.H.  —  Hinsdale  —  Several  Sundays  — 
Roxbury  —  Claremont,  N.H. —  Sabbaths  at  Home  —  Lowell :  Ill- 
ness in  the  Pulpit  —  A  Question  Considered — Adherence  to  his 
Faith  —  Rev.  C.  F.  Hudson  —  Anniversary  Week  —  Advice  of 
Family  and  Friends  —  Versus  Tobacco  —  Forefathers'  Rock  — 
Newport,  N.H.  —  Isles   of    Shoals  —  Vermont    Convention    in 
Cavendish  —  Agrippa's  "Almost"  —  U.S.  Convention  in  Boston 

—  Three  Ways  to  Live 332 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

1860-1861. 
AGED  60-61. 

Prostrate  again  —  His  Last  Sermon,  in  Maiden  —  Resolutions  from 
Massachusetts  Convention  :  Reply  —  Expressions  of  Sympathy 

—  Sale  of  the  Trumpet  —  Question,  "  What  am  I?  "  considered  — 
Interviews    with    Friends  —  Revival    of    Strength  —  Decline  — 
The  Departure  —  Funeral   Services  —  Discourse  by  Rev.  C.  A. 
Skinner  —  Other  Tributes  to  him 368 

CHAPTER    XVIH. 

His  PERSON  AND  CHARACTER 872 


MEMOIR    OF    THOMAS    WHITTEMORE. 


CHAPTER     I. 

1821-1828. 
AGED     21-28. 

Autobiography  —  Ancestry  in  England  —  Recapitulation  —  Acquaint- 
ance with  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou  —  First  Sermon  —  Pastorate  at  Milford 
—  At  Cambridgeport — The  Editor  —  The  Preacher  —  Rev.  Walter 
Balfour — Discussion  with  Rev.  0.  Scott  —  Visit  to  the  West  —  De- 
clines Invitation  to  settle  there. 

THE  subject  of  this  Memoir  has,  in  another  volume,  given 
us  the  history  of  the  first  twenty-five  years  of  his  life.  It  is 
a  book  of  much  interest,  written  in  a  plain,  lively,  and  forcible 
style,  full  of  such  details  as  will  serve  to  render  it  popular 
with  a  large  class  of  readers  for  3~ears  to  come. 

Mr.  Whittemore,  in  his  "  Autobiography,"  gives  his  family 
genealogy  in  America,  beginning  with  Thomas  Whittemore 
of  England,  who  was  in  this  countiy,  and  settled  in  that  part 
of  Charlestown  since  known  as  Maiden,  before  1645.  The 
English  genealogy  of  the  Whittemore  family  is  given  in  the 
"  New  England  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register,"  where 
the  ancestor  of  the  family  in  Massachusetts  is  seen  to  be 
descended  from  the  Whittemores  of  Kitchen,  County  of 
Hereford,  England.  The  name  is  written  Whitemore  and 
"VVhitamor  in  the  Parish  Register  of  the  Kitchen  Vicarage, 
from  1562  to  1636,  and  afterwards  Whittemore.1 
i  N.  E.  Hist.  &  Gen.  Reg.,  April,  1867. 


14  MEMOIR   OF 

The  Autobiography  gives  an  account  of  the  life  of  Mr. 
Whittemore  from  his  birth  until  a  year  after  his  settlement  in 
Cambridgeport,  in  1823.  To  those  unacquainted  with  that 
part  of  his  history,  a  brief  statement  of  it  may  here  be 
given. 

He  was  born  in  Boston,  Jan.  1,  1800,  in  that  section  of 
Charter  Street  that  is  on  Copp's  Hill.  His  parents  had  ten 
children,  of  whom  Thomas  was  the  fourth.  They  were  honest 
toilers,  —  his  father  a  baker,  his  mother  a  woman  of  much 
energy.  It  required  their  constant  earnest  exertions  to  sup- 
port their  growing  family.  Thomas  was  baptized  in  Brattle 
Street  Church,  twelve  days  after  his  birth.  His  parents  were 
attendants  at  that  Church,  and  were  believers  in  the  modi-rate 
Calvinism  taught  there. 

At  the  age  of  seven,  he  was  placed  in  one  of  the  Common 
Schools  of  Charlestown,  whither  his  father  had  removed  two 
years  before.  In  this  school,  he  acquired  all  the  education  he 
ever  received  under  a  teacher,  except  three  months  at  an 
evening  school  just  before  he  was  twenty-one,  and  a  few 
weeks  of  private  tuition  after  that  time.  But  on  this  founda- 
tion he  afterwards  built  himself  up,  as  his  subsequent  history 
will  show,  into  a  scholar  of  large  attainments. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  his  father  died,  leaving  the  care  of 
the  large  family  upon  his  mother.  The  boy  was  heedless, 
though  not  malicious,  and  caused  the  mother  much  anxiety. 
He  was  placed  as  an  apprentice  under  two  or  three  guardians  ; 
but  circumstances  were  adverse  to  his  continuance  with  them, 
until  at  last  he  was  apprenticed  to  Mr.  Abel  Baker,  a  boot- 
maker of  Boston,  to  whom  he  was  bound  b}'  legal  indenture 
and  with  whom  he  remained  until  he  was  twenty-one. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Whittemore  were  professed  believers 
in  the  common  orthodoxy  of  New  England,  prevalent  in 
their  early  days.  In  the  case  of  their  son  it  produced  what 


THOMAS   WHITTEMOftE.  15 

it  has  in  manj'  other  instances,  — much  doubt  and  scepticism 
as  to  the  divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures.  The  boy  did  not 
find  the  doctrines  preached  commendable  in  the  light  of  his 
reason,  so  that  he  lost  his  reverence  for  them,  and  found  his 
chief  attraction  in  the  music  of  the  church  service.  He  at 
length  became  connected  with  the  choir  of  the  Universalist 
Church  in  Charlestown,  and  there  heard  the  Rev.  Edward 
Turner,  whose  ministration  drew  his  attention  more  closely 
than  ever  to  the  Bible,  and  to  a  consideration  of  the  reason- 
ableness of  its  teachings.  But  these  were  not  such  deep 
impressions  as  he  afterwards  received.  He  was  subsequently 
employed  on  a  salary,  to  play  the  bass-viol  in  the  First 
Baptist  Church  in  Boston.  While  here  for  two  or  three 
years,  listening  again  to  the  teachings  of  its  minister,  some 
of  his  old  doubts  and  perplexities  of  mind  returned.  Some- 
time in  the  last  }*ear  of  his  apprenticeship,  he  became  ac- 
quainted with  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou,  who  had  taken  and  occupied 
a  part  of  the  house  in  which  Mr.  Baker  resided.  Mr.  Whit- 
temore  was  anxious  to  make  his  acquaintance,  which  he  did 
in  a  very  modest  way  ;  and  soon  he  found  himself  a  pupil  of 
the  reverend  gentleman,  who,  realizing  his  great  desire  for 
mental  improvement,  kindty  consented  to  aid  him  in  com- 
pleting his  acquaintance  with  English  grammar,  to  which  he 
had  already  given  some  attention.  The  good  man  invited 
the  student  to  write  an  article  for  his  inspection,  that  he 
might  point  out  an}-  defects  of  grammar  or  punctuation  in  it,  if 
such  there  should  be.  The  young  man  was  surprised  to  see  the 
article  soon  afterwards  in  the  poet's  corner  of  the  Universal- 
ist Magazine,  a  semi-monthly  sheet  edited  by  Mr.  Ballou. 
This  was  an  indication  that  possibh*  other  literary  effusions 
of  the  new  beginner  might  be  given  to  the  public. 

A  new  interest  was  now  awakened  on  the  part  of  Mr. 
Ballou  in  reference  to  the  young  man.     He  was  empkn'ed  as 


16  MEMOIR   OF 

a  musician  in  the  choir  of  the  School  Street  UniversaHst. Church. 
His  salary  was  raised  by  the  change  of  places,  and  he  was 
now  enabled  to  listen  to  the  preaching  of  one  in  whom  he 
had  the  highest  confidence,  and  under  whose  ministry  he  was 
led  into  the  acceptance  of  the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  There 
were  new  Sabbaths  for  him  now  since  the  new  light  had  come 
in  so  genially  and  cheerily  upon  him.  There  was  music  in 
the  pulpit  as  sweet  as  any  which  the  choir  could  send  forth,  — 
music  that  uplifted  him  until  he  heard  it  mingling  with  the 
celestial  anthem,  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest;  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  to  men ! "  He  breathed  a  new  air ;  he 
entered  upon  a  new  life.  The  Bible  was  now  to  him  the 
clearly  spoken  "Word  of  the  Eternal  One.  He  had  entered 
upon  that  highway  of  the  Lord  in  which  the  feeblest  may 
walk,  and  the  wayfaring  man,  though  exceedingly  ignorant, 
be  guided  into  all  truth. 

Mr.  Ballou  asked  him  one  day  if  he  had  ever  thought  of 
preparing  for  the  ministry.  His  answer  was  that  he  had 
entertained  no  such  idea.  Yet  that  question  opened  his 
mind  to  the  subject.  He  pondered  it,  feared  it,  started  back 
from  such  presumption  ;  but  still  the  subject  grew  upon  him. 
He  studied  the  Bible  and  the  Christian  Evidences  by  Paley, 
and  listened  with  renewed  attention  to  the  preaching  of  Mr. 
Ballou.  During  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1820,  he  de- 
voted every  leisure  hour  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures. 

Just  three  weeks  before  the  day  of  his  majority,  he  preached 
his  first  sermon  in  Roxbury,  where  the  Universalists  were 
then  building  a  meeting-house.  His  text  was  Rom.  i.  16. 
"  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ."  The  discourse 
bad  been  written  on  the  bootmaker's  bench,  and  stitched 
together  with  a  waxed-end.  But  it  was  a  piece  of  strong 
work.  It  was  well  received.  Mr.  Ballou  heard  it,  and 
humorously  remarked  that  there  were  two  good  parts  of  it, 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  17 

the  text  and  the  amen  !  But  he  meant  more  than  that,  and 
the  preacher  felt  that  he  did.  He  gained  courage  for  new 
efforts.  He  was  known  to  be  poor ;  and,  at  the  suggestion  of 
Mr.  Ballou  to  some  of  his  society,  means  were  generously 
furnished  him  to  defray  his  expenses  for  one  year.  After 
remaining  as  a  student  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Ballou  for  three 
months,  he  received  and  accepted  an  invitation  to  settle  with 
the  society  in  Milford,  Mass.  Here  he  formed  an  acquaint- 
ance with  Lovice,  daughter  of  John  Corbett,  Esq.,  whom  he 
married  in  September  of  the  same  year.  While  in  Milford, 
the  house  he  occupied  was  burned  to  the  ground,  and  his 
library  and  household  effects  were  destroj'ed.  His  young 
wife  was  saved  by  leaping  from  a  chamber  window.  The 
material  loss  he  suffered  was  made  up  to  him  by  the  liberality 
of  Mr.  Ballou's  society  and  some  other  Universalist  societies 
in  the  neighborhood. 

After  a  year's  pastorate  in  Milford,  he  removed  to  Cam- 
bridgeport,  on  invitation  of  the  Universalist  societ}-  in  that 
place  to  become  their  minister.  He  was  installed  there  April 
23,  1823.  His  pastoral  relations  with  this  society  continued 
for  nine  years,  when,  because  of  the  pressure  of  other  duties, 
he  resigned  his  office  as  pastor,  but  ever  afterwards  during 
his  life  remained  a  resident  of  the  place. 

It  was  in  the  early  part  of  his  ministry  in  Cambridgeport 
that  he  became  joint  editor  of  the  Universalist  Magazine, 
with  Rev.  H.  Ballou  and  Rev.  H.  Ballou  2d.  His  articles 
usually  bore  the  signature  of  "  W.,"  but  more  frequently  that 
of  "Richards."  He  continued  in  this  relation  until  the 
enlargement  of  the  Magazine  into  the  Trumpet  in  1828. 
In  the  mean  time,  his  pulpit  labors  were  often  extended  be- 
yond his  own  parish.  He  occasionally  gave  lectures  in 
Maiden,  Medford,  "West  Cambridge,  Newton,  Quincy,  and 
other  places,  and  preached  both  on  the  Sabbath  and  other 

2 


18  MEMOIR  OF 

days  of  the  week  in  many  towns   in  the  neighborhood  of 
Boston. 

In  the  account  of  himself  in  the  volume  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  the  subject  of  this  memoir  evidently  regarded  his  life 
from  his  youth  up  as  especially  providential.  There  seemed 
to  him  to  be  a  Divinity  directing  his  steps.  He  was  led 
onward  into  paths  he  had  not  dreamed  of.  His  very  induc- 
tion into  the  ministry  was  attended  with  what  to  him  were 
remarkable  surprises.  The  conviction  that  he  was  to  become 
a  preacher  gained  upon  him  in  spite  of  his  wishes.  In  his 
own  words:  "I  did  not  at  first  desire  to  preach.  It  gave 
me  serious  apprehensions.  I  was  sensible  that  I  was  not 
prepared  for  the  work.  I  had  not  been  educated.  I  was  a 
bootmaker's  apprentice,  of  very  humble  parentage.  My  life 
had  not  been  a  religious  one.  True,  I  had  recently  been 
brought  to  believe  and  love  the  Gospel,  so  that  I  could  truly 
say  it  was  meat  and  drink  to  me  ;  but  I  was  conscious  that  I 
was  not  what  a  clergyman  ought  to  be.  My  feeling  was  not 
caused  by  fear  of  persecution  or  the  expectation  of  any  oppo- 
sition. It  was  the  sense  I  had  of  the  high  calling  of  a  min- 
ister of  the  Gospel  and  my  unqualifiedness  in  every  sense. 
But  in  this  excitement  the  suggestion  never  came  to  my 
relief,  '  Perhaps  you  will  not  be  a  preacher ; '  for  it  became 
more  and  more  a  fixed  fact  that  such  would  be  my  vocation."  * 

In  process  of  time  this  feeling  changed,  and  he  began  to 
be  reconciled  with  what  seemed  to  be  the  divine  purpose  in 
regard  to  his  life.  He  gave  no  thought  to  the  question, 
whether  it  would  be  better  for  his  reputation  or  material 
profit  to  become  a  Christian  minister.  He  felt  conscious  of 
the  utmost  sincerity  in  his  love  of  the  Gospel ;  and  in  this 
truthfulness,  united  with  much  firmness  of  purpose  and  strong 
1  Autobiog.,  pp.  192,  193. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  19 

reliance  in  a  beneficently  directing  Providence,  he  made  his 
way  onward  and  gave  in  the  work  of  his  subsequent  years  a 
full  and  noble  proof  of  his  ministry. 

At  the  time  of  his  entrance  upon  his  ministry  in  Cam- 
bridgeport,  the  cause  of  Universalism  was  in  its  infancy  in 
Massachusetts.  There  were  not  more  than  a  dozen  ministers 
of  our  faith  in  the  State.  The  churches  of  the  old  "  standing 
order,"  in  company  with  many  of  the  "  new  lights  "  that  had 
come  up  during  the  half-century  preceding  1820,  all  set  their 
faces  against  what  they  considered  this  bold  and  audacious 
heresy.  No  language  was  deemed  too  strong  in  which  to 
denounce  it,  and  no  means  were  left  unused  to  set  public 
opinion  against  it  as  a  doctrine  of  doubtful  and  dangerous 
moral  tendency,  subversive  of  true  piety  and  promotive  of 
the  rankest  infidelit}-.  This  was  what  the  lovers  and  de- 
fenders of  our  holy  faith  were  obliged  to  hear  on  even"  hand, 
when  its  claims  were  set  up  and  asserted.  This  fact,  of 
course,  put  its  ministers  almost  constantly  on  the  defensive. 
They  were  obliged  to  work  like  the  ancient  builders  of  Jeru- 
salem, with  the  trowel  in  one  hand  and  the  sword  in  the 
other.  There  are  those  now  living  who  realize  in  their  own 
remembrances  the  truth  of  these  statements.  But  there  are 
more  who  have  since  come  up  into  life  who  realize  but  little 
the  hnrdness  of  the  strife  then  going  on,  because  of  the  new 
incoming  of  this  old  and  primitive  Gospel  of  God  the  Father 
in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself.  To  meet  this 
bigoted  and  often  unscrupulous  opposition,  great  firmness, 
readiness,  and  resoluteness  were  needed.  "  Valiant-hearted 
men,"  not  afraid  of  warfare,  were  called  for ;  and  they"  were 
providentially  sent  into  the  field  to  "vindicate  the  ways  of 
God  to  man."  and  call  man  to  love  his  brother  and  serve  and 
imitate  his  Father  in  heaven.  Among  this  company  of  our 
church-militant  we  find  Mr.  Whittemore  at  the  time  when  he 


20  MEMOIR   OF 

•» 

seemed  to  be  especially  needed,  and  under  circumstances 
which  enabled  him  to  prove  his  valiant  soldiership  in  the 
warfare.  In  bodily  strength  he  was  well  fitted  for  his  calling. 
He  had  great  power  of  endurance,  an  ardent  love  of  work, 
and  a  zeal  in  his  life  pursuits  that  knew  no  abatement  or 
bound.  A  preacher  adapted  to  the  masses,  he  rose  to  a 
popularity  that  placed  him  among  the  most  notable  and 
acceptable  public  speakers  of  his  time.  Another  has  truth- 
fully written  of  him:  "  Sound,  logical,  and  clear,  as  an  rx- 
pository  writer  and  preacher,  he  perhaps  has  not  been 
excelled  in  the  denomination.  As  a  preacher,  he  was  plain 
and  simple.  Without  grace  or  beauty  or  melod}',  his  mere 
elocution  was  sufficient  to  produce  effects  which  melody  and 
grace  and  beauty  might  h,ave  sighed  for  in  vain.  A  picture 
that  has  been  drawn  of  Luther's  eloquence  may  not  inaptly 
be  applied  to  his.  '  The  homely  force  of  Luther,  who,  in 
the  language  of  the  farm,  the  shop,  the  boat,  the  street,  or 
the  nursery,  told  the  high  truths  that  reason  or  religion 
taught,  and  took  possession  of  his  audience  by  a  storm  of 
speech,  then  poured  upon  them  all  the  riches  of  his  brave 
plebeian  soul,  baptizing  every  head  anew,  —  a  man  who, 
with  the  people,  seemed  more  mob  than  they.'"1 

At  the  close  of  the  volume  containing  his  autobiography, 
Mr.  Whittemore  gives  an  account  of  his  own  installation  at 
Cambridgeport ;  of  the  part  taken  by  him  at  the  ordination 
of  Rev.  Benjamin  Whittemore  at  West  Scituate ;  of  his  at- 
tendance at  the  Southern  Association  of  Universalists  in 
Stafford,  Ct.,  in  June,  1823  ;  of  his  controversy  with  Rev. 
Charles  Hudson  on  future  punishment ;  of  his  first  visit  to 
Atkinson,  to  Haverhill,  as  also  his  first  visit  to  the  General 
Convention  at  Stratford,  Vt.,  in  1824, — on  which  occasion 

1  Funeral  Discourse  by  Rev.  C.  A.  Skinner. 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  21 

he  preached ;  of  his  attendance  at  the  Jubilee  Meeting  in 
Gloucester  in  November  of  this  year,  and  his  first  visit  to 
Plymouth,  Mass. ,  in  December.  We  shall  proceed  from  this 
date  with  our  memoir. 

During  most  of  the  time  of  his  early  ministry,  Mr.  Whit- 
temore  was  a  very  constant  contributor  to  the  Universalist 
Muynzine.  In  the  issue  of  this  paper,  May  31,  1823,  the 
annunciation  was  made  of  the  conversion  of  Rev.  Walter 
Balfour,  a  Baptist  minister  of  Charlestown,  Mass.,  to  Univer- 
salism.  Mr.  Balfour  was .  formerly  a  Presbyterian.  He  was 
well  instructed  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  languages,  and  in 
sacred  literature  generally.  He  brought  to  America  good 
recommendations  from  his  Christian  friends  in  Scotland,  and 
was  kindl}'  received  by  the  orthodox  churches  in  Charlestown, 
where  he  began  his  life  in  America.  He  was  a  thoroughly 
honest  man,  and  held  his  religious  opinions  in  utmost  sin- 
cerity of  heart.  His  attention  was  first  called  to  the  ques- 
tion of  the  extent  of  the  work  of  salvation,  by  Christ, 
while  reading  the  con  trovers}'  going  on  in  1819  between 
Professor  Stuart  of  the  Andover  Theological  Institution  and 
Rev.  Dr.  Channing,  of  Boston.  The  Professor,  in  opposition 
to  the  Doctor,  was  aiming  to  prove  the  equality  of  Christ 
with  the  Father  by  stating  that  he  was  worth}*  of  the  worship 
of  every  human  being,  and  ever  will  be  of  all  souls.  In  proof 
of  this  he  cites  Phil.  ii.  10,  and  Rev.  v.  8,  14,  where  things 
in  heaven,  earth,  and  under  the  earth  (a  periphrasis  for  the 
universe) ,  are  said  to  bow  the  knee  to  Jesus,  and  ascribe 
blessing  and  honor  and  glor}-  and  power  to  him.  "  If  this  be 
not  spiritual  worship,"  says  Professor  Stuart,  "  and  if  Christ 
be  not  the  object  of  it  here,  I  am  unable  to  produce  a  case 
where  worship  can  be  called  spiritual  and  divine." 

Mr.  Balfour  had  strong  confidence  in  the  ability  of  Professor 
Stuart,  and  was  greatly  surprised  when  he  read  this  passage. 


22  MEMOIR   OF 

He  was  almost  alarmed.  What  could  such  a  statement  as 
this  signify?  The  whole  universe  offering  spiritual  worship 
to  God  and  Christ  ?  Could  the  Professor  mean  this  ?  Would 
he  thus  virtually  avow  the  doctrine  of  Universalism  ?  He 
determined  to  address  him  a  letter  stating  his  anxiety  in 
reference  to  this  subject,  and  asking  an  explanation.  It  was 
a  respectful,  candid,  earnest  letter.  He  pleads  for  more 
light.  "  Now,  my  dear  sir,  if  it  be  true  that  things  in  heaven, 
in  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  is  a  common  periphrasis  for  the 
universe ;  and  if  it  be  true  that  this  worship  is  spiritual  and 
divine,  —  you  certainly  have  told  us  that  the  universe  is  to  wor- 
ship Christ  with  spiritual  and  divine  worship.  The  worship 
is  spiritual  and  divine,  and  the  universe  are  the  worshippers. 
Are  we  able  to  avoid  this  ?  The  mind  must  be  differently 
constituted  from  mine  that  can.  Is  it  or  can  it  be  believed 
by  any  one  that  any  beings  in  the  universe  who  worship 
Christ  thus  shall  be  punished  for  ever  ?  "  This  his  first  letter 
to  the  Professor  appeared  in  the  Universal 'ist  Magazine  of 
Jan.  29,  1820,  over  the  signature  of  "An  Inquirer  after 
Truth."  He  waited  patiently  and  anxiously ;  but  no  answer 
came.  He  wrote  again  and  again,  from  time  to  time,  but 
still  received  no  word  in  return. 

Mr.  Balfour's  plea  became  more  earnest,  and  his  questions 
involving  scripture  exegesis  more  numerous.  Why  could  he 
not  have  a  reply  to  his  inquiries  ?  Was  the  Professor  uncon- 
cerned as  to  what  he  was  doing  with  his  pen  ?  Did  he  not 
really  care  what  mischief  this  statement  of  his  might  work, 
yea,  what  unspeakable  evil,  with  this  inquirer  and  with  others 
like  him  ?  Was  he  indisposed  to  notice  newspaper  inquiries  ? 
Bound  to  oppose  Universalism,  as  the  creed  of  the  institution 
to  which  he  had  subscribed  compelled  him  to  be,  why  would 
he  not  seek  to  draw  this  inquirer  away  from  its  enticements  ? 
Such  were  Mr.  Balfour's  thoughts,  and  such  the  thoughts  of 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  23 

others  who  kept  their  eyes  upon  his  published  letters.  Inquiry 
after  inquiry  followed,  up  to  the  ninth,  which  appeared  in 
the  Mnytzine  for  June  16,  1821.  For  nearly  a  year  and  a 
half  had  the  call  been  going  to  Andover  for  an  explanation. 
The  ninth  letter  elicits  a  reply  from  the  Professor,  which 
appears  in  the  Mayazine.  But  it  was  equivocal,  and  not 
at  all  in  keeping  with  the  open-heartedness  and  straightfor- 
ward honesty  of  the  inquirer.  The  Professor,  not  knowing 
who  the  inquirer  was,  objected  to  his  animadversions  be- 
cause they  were  anonymous  and  published  in  newspapers. 
Frivolous  talk  when  the  eternal  interests  of  souls  are  at  stake, 
as  they  are  in  contact  with  destructive  errors  !  Mr.  Balfour 
replied  modestly,  —  earnestly  still,  and  manfully,  —  and  con- 
cluded to  apply  to  the  Professor  for  guidance  no  longer.  He 
took  up  the  examination  of  the  subject  with  increased  interest, 
became  thoroughly  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
which  certifies  that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world 
unto  himself,  issued  valuable  books  in  illustration  and  de- 
fence of  this  faith,  and  devoted  his  remaining  days  to  the 
inculcation  of  it.  His  whole  life  was  an  admirable  comment 
on  the  holy  truth  he  held.  Mr.  Whittemore  enjoj'ed  his 
acquaintance  and  companionship  until  his  decease  in  1852, 
and  subsequent!}'  wrote  his  biography.1 

In  1825,  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  at  the  Southern 
Association  in  South  Wilbraham,  Mass.,  and  was  one  of  the 
preachers  on  that  occasion ;  and  the  next  year,  1826,  he 
attended  the  same  Association  at  Dana,  on  which  occasion 
he  preached,  and  wrote  the  circular  issued  by  that  body. 

In  the  Magazine  of  Dec.  2,  1826,  there  appeared  the 
first  of  a  written  controversy  between  Mr.  Whittemore  and 

1  Memoir  of  Kev.  Walter  Balfour,  Author  of  Letters  to  Prof.  Stuart, 
and  various  other  Publications.  By  Thomas  Whittemore.  Boston :  J. 
M.  Usher.  1852. 


24  MF.MOIR  OF 

Rev.  Orange  Scott,  at  that  time  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Church  in  Charlestown,  Mass.  The  reverend  gentleman 
had  sometime  previous  delivered  a  discourse  against  the  doc- 
trine of  universal  salvation,  and  in  advocacy  of  the  endless 
punishment  of  mankind  as  a  doctrine  of  the  Bible.  By 
means  of  others  interested  in  the  matter,  Mr.  Whittemore 
had  an  interview  with  him,  and  proposed  a  fair  discussion  of 
the  subject  on  which  he  had  lately  preached.  He  at  first 
declined ;  but  on  being  advised  that  this  was  improper,  inas- 
much as  he  considered  Universalism  a  dangerous  error,  and 
was  therefore  under  obligation  to  endeavor  to  convince 
those  who  believed  it  of  the  falsehood  in  which  they  were 
trusting,  he  agreed  to  discuss  the  subject.  Failing  to  meet 
his  engagement  for  some  months,  he  was  urgent^-  reminded 
of  it,  and  soon  his  first  communication  appeared.  One 
characteristic  of  the  discussion  was,  that  while  Mr.  Scott's 
articles,  whatever  their  length,  were  freel}'  placed  in  the 
columns  of  the  Magazine,  and  afterwards  republished  in 
Ziori's  Herald,  the  Methodist  journal  of  Boston,  not  one  of 
Mr.  Whittemore's  replies  could  find  an  insertion  in  the  last- 
named  paper ;  a  reprehensible  unfairness,  to  use  no  sharper 
word,  which  the  defenders  of  our  faith,  in  controversy  with  its 
opponents,  have  been  called  to  realize  in  repeated  instances. 
One  thing  is  especially  noticeable  in  this  discussion,  and 
that  is  the  perfect  coolness  with  which  the  exponent  of  the 
Methodist  theology  quoted  scripture  in  proof  of  a  da}-  of 
general  judgment  and  the  endless  punishment  of  the  wicked, 
and  his  general  obliviousness  to  the  full  and  patient  exam- 
ination of  his  positions  made  by  Mr.  Whittemore.  He  did 
not  seem  to  be  conscious  that  it  was  his  duty  to  show  hmr 
his  antagonist  was  a  misinterpreter  of  the  Scriptures,  instead 
of  moving  straight  on  himself  with  strings  of  scriptural  quo- 
tations and  statements  of  his  theological  opinions,  as  though 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  25 

there  was  little  or  no  dealing  -with  them  on  the  part  of  the 
defender  of  Universalism.  But  this  course  was  not  original 
with  him.  It  was  one  of  the  expedients  of  theological  de- 
baters, conscious  of  the  weakness  of  their  positions.  Mr. 
WMttemore  appealed  to  his  opponent.  "  I  must  remind  you, 
Mr.  Scott,  that  it  does  no  good  simply  to  quote  passages  of 
Scripture.  You  must  show  that  they  apply  to  a  judgment  in 
the  future  state,  or  you  do  nothing  at  all.  This  is  the  point 
at  issue.  I  am  perfectly  willing  that  you  should  take  the 
advice  and  receive  the  assistance  of  any  or  all  of  your  min- 
istering brethren.  As  I  have  expected  it,  so  I  shall  not  be 
disappointed.  Let  us  have  the  whole  strength  of  your  argu- 
ment against  us." 

As  Mr.  Whittemore  suggested,  it  was  believed  by  many  at 
the  time  that,  although  Mr.  Scott  was  the  ostensible  author 
of  the  communications  in  the  Magazine,  he  was  readily 
and  largely  aided  by  others,  his  clerical  brethren.  The  dis- 
cussion was  continued  for  six  months  or  more,  and  on  the 
part  of  Mr.  AVhittemore  was  a  close  and  able  one.  Both 
sides  of  the  discussion  were  afterwards  republished  in  the 
Trumpet.1 

In  June,  1827,  we  find  Mr.  "Whittemore  present  at  the 
Southern  Association  held  in  Springfield,  Mass.  ;  also  in 
August  of  the  same  year  in  attendance  at  the  Rockingham 
Association  in  Eaton,  N.II.  ;  on  which  occasion  he  preached 
twice,  and  prepared  the  Circular  of  the  Association. 

In  the  latter  part  of  this  year,  he  made  his  first  visit  to  the 
West.  He  left  Boston  on  Monday,  October  8th,  and  went 
by  waj-  of  Xew  London  to  New  York.  Unfavorable  weather 
prevented  him  from  reaching  the  last-named  place  in  season 
to  deliver  a  lecture  which  had  been  appointed  for  him  in  the 
1  Vols.  iii.,  iv. 


26  MEMOIR   OF 

Prince  Street  Church.  He  went  on  to  Philadelphia,  where 
he  delivered  two  discourses  on  the  Sabbath.  From  Phila- 
delphia he  passed  on  to  Baltimore,  and  from  thence,  in  three 
and  a  half  da}-s  by  stage,  to  Wheeling,  Va.  Unable  from 
the  low  water  of  the  Ohio  River  to  fulfil  an  engagement  to 
preach  in  Marietta,  he  jounced  through  Zanesville,  Lan- 
caster, and  Chilicothe,  to  Cincinnati.  The  roads  were  in  the 
worst  condition  for  travelling. 

On  his  arrival  at  Cincinnati,  he  found  that  the  Universalists 
of  that  place  were  making  efforts,  although  under  some  dis- 
couragements, to  erect  a  small  church  edifice.  The  congre- 
gations to  whom  he  was  called  to  preach  assembled  at  the 
Supreme  Court  House,  and  at  the  Methodist  Meeting  House, 
where  Rev.  Mr.  Burke  officiated.  The  large  Court  room, 
where  he  preached  three  Sabbaths,  was  crowded  to  great  in- 
convenience. Throngs  were  around  the  doors,  and  some,  on 
one  occasion,  were  taken  in  at  the  windows.  "  Go  at  what 
time  I  would,"  he  writes,  in  a  letter  to  the  Mag(i:in'\ 
"  the  house  was  crowded,  and  I  had  no  reason  to  wait  for 
the  appointed  hour.  I  attributed  this  excitement  principally 
to  the  fact  that  our  sentiments  are  new  to  many  here ;  to  the 
particular  nature  of  the  subjects  I  had  been  called  upon  to 
discuss ;  and  to  a  report  which  the  opponents  spread,  that 
one  of  the  clergy  intended  to  attack  me.  It  is  probable  that 
some  who  attended  were  opponents,  and  perhaps  still  remain 
so ;  but  the  attention  of  many  worthy  persons  was  called  up 
who  had  not  before  thought  of  the  subject,  and  on  whose 
minds  an  impression  highly  favorable  to  our  sentiments  was 
made." 

He  learned  that  the  attention  of  the  people  in  Cincinnati 
had  been  called  to  the  subject  of  Universalism  at  different 
times  for  several  years  ;  that  ministers  residing  in  the  Wrst 
and  two  from  the  East  had  occasionally  preached  there  ;  that 


THOMAS    WIIITTEMORE.  27 

in  1815  an  edition  of  Siegvolk's  "Everlasting  Gospel"  was 
published  there  by  John  Jenkinson,  and  subsequently  an 
edition  of  a  work  by  Dr.  Joseph  Young  on  Universal  Resto- 
ration. He  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Abel  M.  Sargent, 
who  issued  at  Cincinnati  a  small  publication  entitled  the 
'•  Lamp  of  Liberty,"  and  with  Mr.  Kid  well,  who  published  a 
monthly  paper  at  Eaton,  Ohio,  called  the  "  Star  in  the  West." 
He  learned  on  every  hand  that  the  West  was  an  inviting  field 
for  the  dissemination  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  of  Uni- 
versalism.  He  knew  from  the  publications  of  the  orthodox 
sects  how  anxious  they  were  to  occupy  this  field,  and  what 
exertions  they  were  making  to  this  end  through  the  circu- 
lation of  tracts  and  the  sending  forth  of  missionaries  from 
some  of  the  Eastern  churches.  He  was  convinced  that  in 
this  same  wide  field  there  were  yet  rich  harvests  to  be  secured 
by  faithful  laborers  in  the  name  and  spirit  of  our  hoi}"  faith. 
During  his  sojourn  in  the  AVest,  he  found  occasion  to  circulate 
man}-  Universalist  books,  among  which  were  Rev.  Mr.  Bal- 
four's  "  Inquiries,"  the  first  that  had  found  their  way  out 
there. 

Leaving  Cincinnati  on  the  19th  of  November,  he  went  to 
Fredericksburg,  Va. ,  to  visit  his  eldest  brother,  who  had  been 
quite  ill  of  parah'sis.  Here  he  preached  by  special  invitation 
at  the  Town  Hall,  which  was  filled.  But  few  present  were  ac- 
quainted with  the  doctrine  of  Universalism,  and  the  preacher 
adapted  his  discourse  to  the  circumstances  from  the  text, 
Acts  xvii.  19,  20:  "May  we  hear  of  thee  what  this  new 
doctrine  whereof  thou  speakest  is  ?  for  thou  bringest  certain 
strange  things  to  our  ears :  we  would  know  therefore  what 
these  things  mean."  He  preached  on  the  succeeding  Tuesday 
evening,  and  on  Wednesday  took  his  departure  for  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  had  been  invited  to  spend  two  Sabbaths.  He 
here  preached  seven  discourses  to  large  and  attentive  au- 


28  MEMOIR  OF 

diences,  and  afterwards  left  for  New  York.  On  his  arrival 
there,  he  preached  in  the  church  in  Prince  Street.  He  ar- 
rived home  by  way  of  Providence,  on  the  20th,  after  nearly 
three  months'  absence,  during  which  time  he  had  enjoyed 
uninterrupted  health  and  travelled  a  distance  of  2,500  miles. 
While  he  was  away,  the  pulpit  of  the  Cambridgeport  Church 
was  supplied  b}-  Rev.  Joshua  Flagg. 

The  result  of  the  visit  of  Mr.  Whittemore  to  Cincinnati 
was  an  urgent  call  on  the  part  of  the  Universalist  Society  of 
that  city  for  him  to  become  their  pastor.  The  call  was  duly 
appreciated,  and  the  preacher  was  aware  of  the  work  he 
might  be  able  by  divine  grace  to  accomplish  should  he  take 
the  new  position  to  which  he  was  invited.  But  he  concluded 
on  the  whole  to  remain  in  New  England ;  or  rather  Provi- 
dence concluded  for  him. 

"  There 's  a  Divinity  that  shapes  our  ends." 

Here  was  to  be  the  field  of  his  hard  and  faithful  toiling. 
How  well  and  profitably  that  field  was  occupied  by  him  the 
subsequent  pages  of  this  Memoir  will  declare. 


THOMAS    WU1TTEUORE.  29 


CHAPTER    II. 

1828-1830. 
AGED     28-30. 

The  Trumpet:  its  character  —  Visit  to  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons  —  Meetings  — 
Rockingham  Association  —  Preaches  at  Portsmouth,  Exeter,  Sterling 

—  Meeting  in  New  Hampshire  —  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  —  Lowell  meet- 
ings—  Sunday  Mail  Question  —  Ancient  History  of  Universalism — 
Meetings — Rev.  M.  Rayner  —  Prof.  Stuart's  Essay  —  Lectures  by 
Messrs.  Merritt  and   Fisk  —  General  Convention   at   Winchester  — 
Unitarian  Statement  —  Woburn — Modern  History  of  Universalism 

—  At  Dedharn. 

IN  the  beginning  of  July,  1828,  the  first  number  of  the 
new  Universalist  weekly  appeared,  entitled  the  Trumpet 
and  Universalist  Magazine,  edited  by  Russell  Streeter  and 
Thomas  Whittemore.  These  gentlemen  had  purchased  the 
Magazine,  hitherto  pubh'shed  semi-monthly  in  quarto  form, 
had  furnished  an  entire!}-  new  office,  and  obtained  experienced 
workmen,  that  their  paper  might  be  issued  in  an  attractive 
form.  The  proprietor  of  the  Magazine,  Mr.  Henry  Bowen, 
at  first  regarded  the  step  as  interfering  with  his  private  in- 
terests. A  committee  was  mutuallj-  chosen,  who  decided 
that  Messrs.  Streeter  and  "Whittemore  should  take  the  list 
of  the  Magazine,  and  pay  its  proprietors  $1,250.  The 
Trumpet  was  a  sheet  of  royal  size,  published  every  Saturday 
at  Boston,  George  AY.  Bazin,  printer.1 

1  The  name  of  Mr.  Bazin  appears  on  the  Trumpet  as  its  printer,  for 
more  than  thirty  years.  He  was  a  master  in  his  business,  and  took  a 
deep  interest  in  the  paper  and  in  the  cause  of  Universalism,  and  was  ex- 


30  MEMOIR   OF 

The  name  of  the  paper,  as  it  original!}-  occurred  to  Mr. 
Whittemore,  was  attractive.  The  editors  say  that  it  was 
given  for  three  reasons.  1.  It  was  a  short  title;  2.  It  was 
one  by  which  the  paper  would  be  easily  distinguished  from 
other  religious  publications,  it  having  never  been  used  to 
their  knowledge  as  the  title  to  any  other  Christian  journal ; 
and  3.  It  was  in  special  conformity  to  their  design.  k-  \Vi> 
announce  intelligence,  we  point  out  dangers,  and  excite  the 
apprehensions  of  the  community,  and  communicate  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  Gospel  of  God's  grace.  The  trumpet  was  an 
instrument  used  in  the  religious  observances  of  the  Jews ; 
and  by  figure  the  sounding  of  the  trumpet  is  put  for  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel. 

'  Let  every  mortal  ear  attend, 

And  every  heart  rejoice ; 
The  trumpet  of  the  Gospel  sounds 
With  an  inviting  voice.' " 

The  editors  say:  "The  divine  command  to  the  children  of 
Israel  was,  '  In  the  day  of  your  gladness  and  in  your  solemn 
days,  ye  shall  blow  with  the  trumpet.'  We  are  reminded  too 
that  we  must  use  great  plainness  of  speech ;  '  for  if  the 
trumpet  give  an  uncertain  sound,  who  shall  prepare  himself 
to  the  battle.'  Should  we  be  called  on  to  say  that  there  is 
an  increased  attention  to  religion,  that  dormant  societies  are 

tensively  known  in  the  denomination.  He  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy- 
sevcn.  Kev.  Dr.  Patterson  said  of  him  in  his  Centennial  Discourse  at 
Portsmouth,  N.H.,  in  1874,  that  he  had  probably  "put  in  type  more 
arguments  in  vindication  and  illustration  of  our  faith  than  any  other 
man  that  ever  lived." 

Mr.  Henry  Bowen  had  been  the  printer  of  the  Uniri-rtulixt  Maga- 
zine, from  its  first  appearance.  He  too  was  one  of  the  steadfast  friends 
of  our  church  cause,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age.  He  \vas  deacon  in 
the  Shawmut  Universalist  Church  in  Boston,  at  the  time  of  his  decease, 
in  1874. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  31 

awakened  to  new  zeal,  or  that  the  morall}*  dead  have  heard 
the  joyful  sound  of  the  Gospel,  have  come  into  possession  of 
life  and  peace,  by  what  means  can  this  resurrection  of  the 
dead  be  better  announced  than  by  the  sounding  of  the  trum- 
pet?" And  so,  in  subsequent  issues  of  the  paper,  the  words 
of  the  old  prophet  appeared  under  its  heading,  in  the  centre 
of  which  was  the  flying  angel,  "  Blow  ye  the  trumpet  in  Zion, 
and  sound  an  alarm  in  my  holy  mountain."1  The  editors 
furthermore  say,  "We  retain  the  name  Universalist  Maga- 
zine, because  our  publication  is  to  be  what  we  promised  it 
should,  a  Universalist  publication.  We  venerate  the  name  as 
that  of  the  oldest  Universalist  paper  now  existing  in  the 
United  States.  And  the  Trumpet  and  Universalist  Maga- 
zine is  to  be  a  continuation  of  the  original  paper,  under  an 
enlarged  form  and  in  a  new  series." 

Later  in  life,  on  being  reminded  by  a  brother  editor  of  his 
prosperity  and  wealth,  he  takes  occasion  to  say:  "When  I 
began  the  Trumpet,  I  urged  my  ministering  brethren  in  Bos- 
ton and  vicinity  to  take  hold  with  me  on  equal  terms  ;  and  they 
were  afraid,  with  the  exception  of  Brother  Russell  Streeter. 
These  were  days  of  peril.  I  mortgaged  the  very  house  that 
sheltered  m}'  family  to  secure  the  debts  I  was  obliged  to  con- 
tract. Nobody  had,  up  to  that  time,  become  rich  by  pub- 
lishing Universalist  books  and  papers  ;  and  very  few,  if  any, 
have  done  it  since.  But  if  a  man  in  the  day  when  I  com- 
menced, and  when  the  wisest  of  his  brethren  dared  not  take 
the  slightest  pecuniary  risk  with  him,  could  get  rich  in  pub- 
lishing Uuiversalist  books  and  papers,  it  is  a  matter  that 
should  be  spoken  to  his  credit."'2 

The  new  paper  was  received  with  great  favor  by  the  Uni- 
versalist public,  and  by  many  others  who  were  sincerely 

1  Joel  ii.  1.  2  Trumpet,  April  3,  1847. 


32  MEMOIR   OP 

inquiring  after  religions  truth.  It  met  an  existing  want. 
Subscribers  came  in  on  every  hand.  Contemporary  papers, 
both  religious  and  secular,  gave  it  hearty  meetings.  Its 
columns  were  lively  and  full  of  terse  and  strong  reasoning. 
Each  issue  was  largely  original ;  for  the  editors  in  their  work 
had  the  s3-mpathies  of  their  fellow-ministers  and  of  the  laity 
of  the  Universalist  churches  warmly  enlisted  on  their  side. 
The  tone  of  the  paper  was  lo}-al  to  the  cause  it  professed  to 
espouse.  It  was  wholly  committed  to  the  promulgation  of 
Christian  Universalism  the  truth  that  "God  was  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself ; "  Christian  Universalism 
in  all  of  its  presentations,  whether  held  by  those  who 
believed  with  Murray  in  the  Trinit}-,  with  Winchester  in 
the  future  punishment  of  the  wicked,  or  with  Ballou  in  the 
Divine  Unit}'  and  the  silence  of  the  Scriptures  as  to  the 
punishment  of  transgression  beyond  the  present  life.  The 
Paternity  of  God  and  the  Brotherhood  of  Man  ;  the  pres- 
ent blessedness  of  obedience  and  afflictiveness  of  sin ;  the 
rising  of  the  race  from  mortality  to  immortality  ;  the  right 
of  free  religious  inquiry,  and  the  great  need  of  the  just  exer- 
cise of  this  right ;  the  exposure  of  religious  error,  fraud,  and 
priestcraft,  whether  Protestant  or  Catholic ;  the  commenda- 
tion of  the  Gospel  of  Universalism  as  the  Bible  reveals  it,  in 
vindication  of  the  Divine  character  and  as  the  surest  antidote 
of  that  infidelity  engendered  by  false  theologies  under  the 
Christian  name, — these  were  the  chief  topics  to  which  the 
Trumpet  gave  its  constant  and  untiring  attention. 

The  plainness  and  freedom  of  speech  evinced  in  the  paper 
were  notable.  It  was,  of  course,  deemed  by  many  who  ad- 
hered to  the  old  theology  as  too  presumptive  and  invvrrmt 
in  questioning  the  claims  of  its  defenders.  It  gave  no  re- 
spectful heed  to  what  their  ipse  dixit  might  be  ;  it  would 
acknowledge  no  extra  privilege  of  real  or  assumed  sanctity 


THOMAS    WH1TTKMORE.  33 

on  the  part  of  opponents  who,  instead  of  offering  argument 
in  support  of  their  opinions,  were  more  ready  to  assume  a 
solemn  interest  in  the  eternal  welfare  of  the  one  they  deemed 
heretical.  Often  was  this  disposition  encountered  on  the 
part  of  this  new  "  defender  of  the  faith  ;  "  but  just  as  often 
was  the  needed  and  firm  admonition  given,  "  not  warning, 
not  intimidation,  but  argument,  brothers,  argument!  To 
the  law  and  to  the  testimony ! " 

Three  months  after  the  commencement  of  the  Trumpet, 
Mr.  Streeter  retired  from  the  joint  ownership,  receiving  as 
compensation  for  his  portion  of  the  property  a  sum  mutually 
agreed  upon.  The  sole  responsibility  as  editor  now  devolved 
on  Mr.  Whittemore,  and  most  faithfully  was  it  sustained 
through  subsequent  years,  until  his  surrender  of  his  editorial 
work  in  1860.  Not  only  as  editor  but  as  proprietor  of  the 
paper  was  his  work  well  and  successfully  pursued.  He  looked 
carefully  and  constantly  after  his  subscription-list ;  appointed 
none  for  agents  in  whose  ability  and  fidelity  he  had  not 
strong  confidence  ;  kept  his  watch-care  over  those  conscience- 
less ones,  so  afflictive  to  many  newspaper  publishers,  who 
become  subscribers  without  much  thinking  or  caring  whether 
they  shall  ever  pay  for  their  papers.  To  all  such  he  was  a 
vexation  in  the  short  work  which  he  often  made  with  them  ; 
while  towards  those  who  through  misfortune  were  unable  to 
be  as  prompt  in  pa}'ment  as  their  honesty  desired,  he  Avas 
tenderly  considerate  and  generous. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  passing  through  Franklin, 
Mass.,  Mr.  Whittemore  gratified  himself  with  a  call  upon 
Rev.  Dr.  Nathaniel  Emrnons,  —  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
representatives  of  the  Calvinism  of  the  past,  and  still  living 
as  pastor  of  the  parish  over  which  he  had  been  settled  during 
fifty-four  }*ears.  The  venerable  man,  now  eighty-five,  after 
having  been  informed  by  his  visitor  as  to  his  name,  residence, 

3 


34  MEMOIR    OF 

occupation,  doctrine,  and  object  in  calling,  gave  him  a  very 
cordial  reception.  He  expressed  his  satisfaction  in  meeting 
with  strangers  who  were  open  and  free  in  avowing  their  sen- 
timents in  religion,  and  the  disgust  with  which  he  frequently 
witnessed  the  prevarications  of  men  of  different  denomi- 
nations, not  excepting  some  of  his  own  order.  He  spoke 
with  much  freedom  on  what  he  considered  the  innovations 
made  upon  the  old  doctrines  and  methods  of  the  Calvinistic 
churches  of  New  England  by  such  men  as  Dr.  Lynian 
Beecher  and  others,  who,  he  feared,  were  attempting  to  effect 
a  change  in  the  system  they  once  accepted,  without  having 
the  honesty  to  acknowledge  it  outright.  It  had  been  re- 
ported, he  said,  that  he  was  inclined  to  Universalism,  or  was 
already  at  heart  of  that  sentiment,  but  unwilling  to  have  it 
known.  He  denied  the  imputation,  and  said  he  hoped  the 
Universalists  had  too  much  sense  and  honest}"  to  claim  him 
on  their  side  if  he  would  be  such  a  hypocrite  as  to  conceal 
his  real  sentiments.  Mr.  Whittemore  assured  him  that  his 
position  was  well  understood  by  Universalists,  and  that, 
differing  widely  in  some  respects  as  they  did  from  him  in 
their  religious  sentiments,  they  honored  him  for  the  sincerity 
with  which  they  believed  he  held  his  own.  The  interview 
seems  to  have  been  a  very  agreeable  one  to  both  partii-*. 
Since  that  tune  the  religious  aspect  of  things  in  Franklin  has 
been  much  changed.  Where,  in  the  day  of  Dr.  Emmons's 
pastorate,  there  was  none  to  dispute  his  sole  oversight  of  the 
one  Calvinistic  church  there,  other  sects  have  taken  their 
places,  and  a  Universalist  Church  and  richly  endowed  Acad- 
emy, founded  by  Dr.  Oliver  Dean  of  that  place,  now  occupy 
the  grounds  once  in  possession  of  the  venerable  divine  hiin- 
self. 

On  Wednesday,  July  23,  Mr.  Whittemore   attended  the 
service  of  Recognition  of  the  Universalist  Church  in  Water- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  35 

town,  and  preached  the  sermon  on  the  occasion.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Streeter  of  Boston,  Jones  of  Gloucester,  and  Cobb 
of  Maiden,  assisted  in  the  services,  which  were  appropriate 
and  impressive. 

On  Wednesday,  July  30,  Rev.  Sylvanus  Cobb  was  installed 
as  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Christ  in  Maiden.  This 
was  the  original  first  orthodox  parish  of  the  town ;  but  the 
majority  now  in  it  had  resolved  that  the  ministry  of  Christian 
Universalism  should  henceforth  be  sustained  by  them  and 
those  inclined  to  aid  them  in  their  work.  Mr.  Cobb  was 
their  first  choice  as  pastor.  He  had  come  from  a  successful 
pastorate  in  Waterville,  Me.,  and  proved  himself  in  succeed- 
ing years  in  Massachusetts  and  throughout  New  England  an 
able  Christian  preacher,  writer,  and  advocate  of  the  promi- 
nent reforms  of  the  times.  Mr.  Whittemore  offered  the 
Prayer  of  Installation  ;  Rev.  S.  Streeter  of  Boston  preached 
the  Sermon.  Rev.  Messrs.  H.  Ballou,  W.  Balfour,  and  R. 
Streeter  took  other  parts  in  the  services. 

The  Rockingham  Association  of  Universalists  was  held 
this  j'ear  in  August  at  Kingston,  N.H.  Most  of  the  services 
were  in  the  old  meeting-house  on  "  the  plains."  There  was 
a  large  attendance,  especially  on  the  last  day.  The  weather 
was  very  favorable,  and  the  meetings  were  of  great  interest 
to  many  who  attended  them.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  on 
the  evening  of  the  first  day.  from  Haggai  ii.  6,  7,  —  the  shak- 
ing of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  the  coming  of  the 
Desire  of  all  nations.  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou  preached  to  a 
large  and  deeply  attentive  congregation,  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  last  day.  There  are  those  now  living  (and  the  writer  is 
one  of  them)  who  will  have  occasion  while  life  lasts  to 
remember  with  gratitude  and  thanksgiving  to  God  the  effects 
upon  them  of  the  meetings  of  that  session  of  the  Rockingham 
Association. 


36  MEMOIR    OF 

The  installation  of  Rev.  Thomas  F.  King  as  pastor  of  the 
First  Universalist  Church  in  Portsmouth,  N.H.,  took  place 
on  Wednesday,  Oct.  15,  of  this  year.  The  discourse  on  the 
occasion  was  delivered  by  Rev.  S.  Streeter,  a  former  pastor 
of  the  church.  Mr.  Whittemore  gave  the  right  hand  of 
fellowship  to  the  pastor,  and  preached  in  the  evening.  It 
was  a  day  of  much  interest  to  the  Portsmouth  parish  :  Mr. 
King  proved  to  be  a  highly  acceptable  and  honored  minister 
in  that  place.  He  was  the  father  of  Rev.  Thomas  Stan- 
King,  who  was  but  a  lad  when  he  came  with  his  parents 
from  Hudson,  N.Y.,  his  birthplace,  to  the  "old  town  by 
the  sea." 

On  the  next  evening  after  the  day  of  installation  in  Ports- 
mouth, Mr.  Whittemore  preached  for  the  first  time  in  Exeter, 
N.H.,  in  the  Court  House,  to  quite  a  large  audience,  on  the 
Universalist  faith  and  the  profession  of  it.  It  was  a  forcible 
and  scriptural  discourse,  and  was,  by  special  request  of  the 
hearers,  afterwards  published  in  the  Trumpet  of  Jan.  17, 
1829. 

On  Sunday,  Nov.  16,  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  Sterling, 
Mass.  It  was  his  first  visit  to  that  town.  The  pastor  of  the 
society  there  was  a  Unitarian.  It  had  been  supposed  that  he 
would  consent  to  the  admission  of  the  Universalist  into  his 
pulpit ;  but  he  was  unwilling  to,  and  the  Uuiversalists  there- 
fore held  their  meeting  in  the  town-house,  a  commodious 
building,  capable  of  seating  nearly  three  hundred  people. 
The  hall  was  closely  filled.  Passing  on  from  this  phire 
through  New  Hampshire  to  Springfield,  Vt.,  he  attended 
according  to  previous  appointment,  a  two  days'  meeting  of 
tin-  I'niversalists  in  that  place.  During  the  meetings,  Mr. 
Whittemore  preached  twice,  and  other  discourses  were  deliv- 
ered by  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  Moore,  S.  C.  Loveland,  R.  Bartlett, 
and  W.  Skinner. 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  37 

The  attention  of  the  Universalist  churches  in  and  about 
Boston  was  at  this  time  called  to  the  expressed  opposition  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  to  their  faith.  He  had  delivered  a 
course  of  lectures  against  it  in  his  own  church  in  Boston, 
some  of  which  he  had  repeated  in  other  churches  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. The  Trumpet  call  was  made  upon  him  to  give 
them  to  the  public  through  the  press.  It  was  understood 
that  he  had  stated  his  intention  to  do  this.  But  long  waiting 
had  caused  some  impatience  on  the  part  of  those  who  most 
desired  to  greet  them.  Mr.  Whittemore  thus  appeals  to  him  : 
'  •  My  object  in  this  letter,  Rev.  Sir,  is  to  call  on  you  for  a 
fulfilment  of  your  long-neglected  promise.  If  there  are  justi- 
fiable reasons  for  your  delinquency  in  this  particular,  the 
columns  of  this  paper  are  at  your  sen-ice,  that  b}-  a  statement 
of  these  reasons  3-011  may  satisfy  a  disappointed  public.  It 
is  our  ardent  wish  that  you  give  us  the  sermons."  These, 
however,  were  not  forthcoming.  The  author  did  not  seem 
inclined  to  give  them  publicity.  But  he  was  vigorously  fol- 
lowed up,  and  in  due  time  there  appeared  in  the  Trumpet 
a  very  searching  review  by  Mr.  Whittemore  of  one  of  these 
discourses  taken  down  l>y  a  stenographer  at  Dorchester. 
We  shall  speak  of  it  further  on. 

The  dedication  of  the  new  Universalist  Meeting-house  in 
Lowell,  took  place  on  Nov.  27,  of  this  year.  Rev.  Hosea 
Ballou  preached  the  sermon  on  this  occasion.  In  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  day,  Rev.  Eliphalet  Case  was  installed  as 
pastor  of  the  society;  the  sermon  was  delivered  by  Mr. 
Whittemore  from  2  Tim.  iv.  5,  "Do  the  work  of  an  evan- 
gelist." Rev.  T.  F.  King  preached  in  the  evening. 

In  the  beginning  of  1829,  public  attention  was  called  to 
the  subject  of  the  running  of  the  mail  upon  the  Sabbath. 
Numerous  memorials  and  petitions  were  sent  to  Congress, 
praying  that  the  carrying  of  the  mail  on  the  Sabbath  might 


38 

be  stopped.  The  plan  originated  in  New  York.  It  had  the 
appearance  of  much  propriety  and  fairness,  and  was  regarded 
by  many  professing  Christians  of  the  more  popular  sects  as  a 
measure  accordant  with  the  religion  they  professed.  But 
there  were  many  others  equally  attached  to  Christianity,  who 
were  not  inclined  to  favor  the  measure.  They  thought  they 
saw  in  it  a  sectarian  movement  rather  than  one  intended  for 
the  benefit  of  the  nation.  Mr.  Whittemore  gave  much  atten- 
tion to  this  subject  in  the  columns  of  his  paper.  He  copied 
into  it  the  popular  report  of  Colonel  R.  M.  Johnson  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  Orthodox  memorialists,  and  stated  in  strong  terms 
his  own  objections  to  their  course.  His  review  of  the  peti- 
tion signed  by  prominent  citizens  of  Boston,  was  a  close  and 
searching  one.1  He  thought  that  there  might  be  quite  as 
much  to  fear  from  the  evils  of  a  dominant  religious  sectarian- 
ism in  the  country  as  from  the  revolution  of  the  wheels  of  a 
mail-coach  on  the  Sabbath.  The  petitions  for  the  new  meas- 
ure were  not  successful,  and  after  a  tune  the  movements  in 
behalf  of  it  ceased. 

There  was  issued  from  the  press  of  Marsh,  Capen,  and 
Lyon  of  Boston,  at  the  opening  of  this  same  year,  a  work 
which  had  for  some  time  been  promised  and  anxiously  looked 
for,  entitled,  "The  Ancient  History  of  Universalism,  from 
the  tune  of  the  Apostles  to  its  Condemnation  in  the  Fifth 
General  Council,  A.D.  553  :  with  an  Appendix,  tracing  the 
Doctrine  down  to  the  Era  of  the  Reformation."  By  Hosea 
Ballou  2d,  Pastor  of  the  Universalist  Society  in  Roxbury. 
This  volume  was  the  result  of  great  labor  and  patient  research 
on  the  part  of  its  author,  and  opened  up  to  the  Christian 
public  a  new  revelation  in  the  field  of  ecclesiastical  history. 
No  man  was  better  calculated,  from  his  love  of  historical 
i  Trumpet,  Vol.  I.,  No.  29. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  39 

research,  habits  of  accurate  and  close  thinking,  scholarly 
attainments,  and  devotion  to  the  Universalist  faith,  than  Mr. 
Ballou,  to  take  hold  of  this  work  and  make  it  a  success  in  his 
hands.  Previous  to  its  appearing,  but  little  was  known  of 
the  advocacy  of  Universalism  after  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
The  names  of  Origen  and  a  few  others  were  identified  with  it ; 
but  other  historians  had  not  made  its  history  a  specialty  until 
this  new  explorer  and  examiner  appeared  and  shed  the  broad 
light  of  day  where  before  there  was  almost  midnight  dark- 
ness. Mr.  Whittemore  said  of  it,  in  a"  review  in  the  Trumpet : 
"There  are  very  few  who  will  be  able  to  estimate  the  labor 
which  this  volume  has  cost  its  author.  This  may  in  justice 
be  considered  the  first  attempt  of  the  kind.  In  such  an  un- 
dertaking, the  author  enters  a  field  boundless  on  every  side, 
without  index  or  guiding  star,  in  which  no  footstep  is  seen  ; 
and  here  he  is  to  seek  the  object  of  his  pursuit.  .  .  .  The 
denomination  of  Universalists  is  laid  under  the  most  weighty- 
obligations  to  Mr.  Ballou  for  the  labor  he  has  performed." 

The  author  of  this  history  clearly  shows  that  of  all  the 
early  "  Christian  Fathers,"  so  called,  not  one  condemned  the 
Universalist  sentiment,  although  it  was  believed  and  defended 
among  them  ;  that  orthodox  bishops  of  greatest  renown  main- 
tained it  openly  and  zealousry,  without  receiving  censure  or 
losing  their  popularity ;  and  that  it  was  not  until  about 
A.D.  400  that  it  was  denounced  as  an  error.  Another  fact 
brought  to  light  was,  that  the  word  rendered  in  the  Scriptures 
"everlasting"  was  familiarly  and  commonly  used  in  the  first 
three  or  four  centuries  to  signify  limited  duration,  and  was 
applied  ven-  frequently  to  punishment  by  the  Universalists  of 
that  period.  Reviewers  of  ecclesiastical  histoiy  since  the 
appearing  of  this  volume  have  been  very  careful  in  their 
notices  of  it  to  contradict  none  of  the  statements  ;  and  more 
recent  explorers  of  the  same  field  have  not  only  corroborated 


40  MEMOIR    OF 

the  truth  of  the  statements  of  its  author,  but  have  presented 
new  and  striking  evidences  of  the  wide  prevalence  and  salu- 
tary Christian  influence  of  the  Universalist  faith  in  these 
ancient  days,  especially  in  the  third  centur}-.1 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  and  preached  at  the  meeting 
of  the  Southern  Association  in  Hartford,  Ct.,  May  20  and 
21  ;  also,  at  the  New  Hampshire  Association,  in  Sutton, 
N.H.,  on  the  27th  and  28th  of  the  same  month  of  this 
year.  On  the  4th  of  June,  he  attended  the  installation  of 
Rev.  L.  8.  Everett  as  pastor  of  the  Universalist  Church  in 
Charlestown,  Mass.,  and  gave  him  the  right  hand  of  fel- 
lowship. 

At  the  close  of  the  first  volume  of  the  Trumpet,  in  June, 
the  publishing  office  was  removed  to  No.  40  (south  side), 
Market  Street,  corner  of  Franklin  Avenue.  The  editor  states, 
in  the  last  issue  of  this  volume,  "The  patronage  we  have 
received  thus  far  has  exceeded  any  expectations  we  had 
formed  at  the  commencement  of  our  undertaking ;  a  circum- 
stance which  has  given  vigor  to  all  our  operations,  attractive- 
ness to  the  paper,  and  satisfaction  to  all  parties  concerned." 

On  Wednesday,  July  15,  the  Universalist  meeting-house 
in  Hanson,  Mass.,  was  dedicated,  the  sermon  being  preached 
by  Mr.  AVhittemore.  During  this  month,  Rev.  Menzies  Ray- 
ner,  pastor  of  the  Universalist  Society  in  Hartford,  Ct., 
visited  Boston  and  its  neighborhood,  and  received  a  warm 

1  The  statement  of  these  facts  is  made  with  great  clearness  and  can- 
dor in  a  series  of  articles  by  Dr.  Edward  Beecher,  published  in  the  New 
York  Christian  Union,  Vol.  VIII.,  No.  10.  Speaking  of  Mr.  Ballou's 
"Ancient  History,"  Dr.  Beecher  says:  "The  work  is  one  of  decided 
ability,  and  is  written  with  great  candor  and  a  careful  examination  of 
authorities.  In  our  opinion,  it  would  benefit  Mr.  Lecky  and  Prof.  Shedd 
attentively  to  consider  all  the  facts  and  authorities  presented  in  it." 
These  last  named  gentlemen  had  written  on  the  subject  of  llestora- 
tionism  in  the  early  churches. 


THOMAS    WniTTEMORE.  41 

•welcome  from  his  Universalist  friends.  He  was  then  a  recent 
comer  from  the  Episcopalian  into  the  Universalist  church. 
He  had  stood  well  with  his  brethren  of  the  former  church, 
and  made  good  and  effective  proof  of  his  ministry  in  the  new 
church  relations  upon  which  he  had  entered.  He  was  then 
past  the  middle  age  of  life  ;  a  bright,  strong  man,  an  acute 
thinker,  a  well-read  theologian,  and  a  preacher  of  uncommon 
energy.  A  discourse  which  he  preached  during  this  visit,  at 
Cambridgeport,  on  "Apostolic  Fidelity,"  heard  by  Mr.  "VVhitte- 
more,  was  published  in  the  Trumpet,  of  Aug.  8,  1829. 

The  attention  of  the  Universalist  public  was  called  about 
this  time  to  an  article  in  the  Spirit  of  the  Pilgrims,  of  Bos- 
ton, from  the  pen  of  Professor  Moses  Stuart,  of  Andover,  an 
essay  on  the  Greek  words  aiwv  and  aiwvios,  especially  in  their 
uses  as  expressive  of  the  duration  of  future  punishment.  The 
essay  had,  doubtless,  been  called  out  in  consequence  of  the 
increasing  interest  in  the  great  question  of  the  final  destiny 
of  the  human  family,  and  especially  because  of  the  pressure 
of  the  able  inquiries  of  the  professor  from  the  pen  of  Mr. 
Balfour.  Mr.  Whitternore,  in  a  short  editorial  review  of  the 
essay,  expresses  a  hope  that  Mr.  Balfour  will  take  it  up  and 
lay  its  character  before  the  public,  —  a  work  which  that  sin- 
cere and  honest  inquirer  afterwards  accomplished,  to  his  own 
credit  and  for  the  good  of  the  Christian  public. 

In  a  leading  editorial  of  the  Trumpet  for  September  12th 
of  this  year,  is  a  review  of  "  A  Discussion  on  Universal  Sal- 
vation, in  three  Lectures,  and  Five  Answers  against  that  Doc- 
trine ;  by  Rev.  Timothy  Merritt.  To  which  are  added,  Two 
Discourses  on  the  same  subject,  by  Rev.  Wilbur  Fisk,  A.M." 
These  lectures,  as  it  was  stated  by  a  Xew  York  paper  at  the 
time,  were  the  substance  of  a  public  debate  which  took  place 
in  Springfield,  Mass.,  between  Rev.  Messrs.  Merritt  and 
Fisk.  and  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Paige,  pastor  of  the  Uuiversalist 


42  At E M 01 R    OF 

Society  in  that  place.  Mr.  Whittemore  gave  attention  to  the 
substance  of  these  discourses,  and  especially  to  the  uncandid 
and  foolish  classing  of  Universalists  with  Deists,  evidently  to 
bring  the  more  discredit  on  Universalists  in  the  eyes  of  other 
Christian  believers.  "  If  men  are  Deists,"  said  Mr.  Whitte- 
more,  "who  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  who  hold  to  the  resurrection  of  all  the  human  race  to 
a  state  of  immortality  and  incorruption,  then  are  Universalists 
Deists ;  and,  we  may  add,  then  was  St.  Paul  a  Deist.  But, 
if  these  men  are  not  Deists,  then  do  Messrs.  Merritt  and 
Fisk  stand  before  the  world  guilty  of  misrepresentation  and 
slander."  Mr.  Merritt  had  said,  "  If  they  (Universalists) 
deny  this  charge,  let  them  meet  us  fairly.  Let  them  show, 
by  facts  and  arguments,  wherein  we  are  deceived,  and  wherein 
we  misrepresent  them."  "Facts  and  arguments!"  replies 
Mr.  \Vhittemore;  "what  does  Mr.  M.  mean  by  calling  for 
facts  and  arguments?  There  is  nothing  he  so  totally  abhors. 
In  his  controversy  with  Mr.  Ballon,  what  was  it  besides  facts 
and  arguments  that  confounded  him?  Universalists  have 
been  giving  this  man  facts  and  arguments  for  ten  years,  and 
what  good  has  it  all  done  ?  What  attention  did  he  pay  to  the 
facts  and  arguments  offered  to  Rev.  Orange  Scott,  whom  he 
assisted  in  a  controversy  about  three  years  since?  What 
attention  did  he  give  to  the  facts  and  arguments  furnished  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Paige,  in  reply  to  his  lectures  in  Springfield  against 
Universalism?  This  call  for  facts  and  arguments  is,  in  our 
opinion,  a  pretence.  If  he  is  really  disposed  to  deal  in  tacts 
and  arguments,  we  call  on  him  for  the  proof  that  Universal ists 
reject  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible ;  that  the}'  treat  experi- 
mental religion  with  contempt,  and  sneer  at  piety  ;  that  they 
pretend  to  a  superior  order  of  intellect ;  that  they  over- 
look the  arguments  of  their  opponents,  and  assert  what  lias 
been  confuted  again  and  again  ;  and  that  the}'  employ  arts  of 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  43 

sophistry  in  support  of  their  cause.  We  call  for  proof  of  this, 
we  say." 

In  September  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  was  in  attend- 
ance at  the  session  of  the  General  Convention,  held  at  Win- 
chester, N.H.  In  the  issue  of  the  Trumpet,  Nov.  7,  he  thus 
notices  an  article  in  the  Christian  Register,  from  its  editor, 
who  had  stated,  "  Unitarians  are  not  to  be  called  Uni- 
versalists,  for  they  regard  the  doctrine  of  the  Universal  Res- 
toration, although  they  believe  it,  of  very  little  importance," 
deeming  other  articles  of  faith  of  far  more  consequence.  "  It 
is  then  a  certain  fact  that  our  liberal  brethren,  the  Uni- 
tarians, feel  very  little  interest  whether  all  mankind  are  saved 
or  not ;  and  although  some  of  them  think  that  perhaps  they 
may  and  probably  will  be,  yet  that  this  is  a  matter  of  small 
importance.  Well,  as  this  is  a  fact,  we  will  add  our  testi- 
mony to  Mr.  Reed's,  that  there  is  a  considerable  difference 
between  Unitarians  and  Universalists  ;  for  we  believe,  with 
the  good  and  great  Mrs.  Barbauld,  that  unity  of  character 
in  what  we  adore  is  much  more  essential  than  unity  of  person. 
We  often  boast,  and  with  reason,  of  the  purity  of  our  religion 
as  opposed  to  the  grossness  of  the  theology  of  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  but  we  should  remember  that  cruelty  is  as  much 
worse  than  licentiousness  as  Moloch  is  worse  than  a  Satyr." 

On  Wednesday,  Dec.  23,  the  Universalist  Meeting-house 
in  Woburn  was  dedicated,  and  Rev.  Otis  A.  Skinner  installed 
as  pastor  of  the  society.  Mr.  Whittemore  addressed  the 
society  on  this  last-named  occasion. 

In  the  beginning  of  1830,  the  "Modern  History  of  Uni- 
versalism,"  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Whittemore,  appeared.  He 
had  been  upwards  of  five  years  in  collecting  materials  for  the 
work,  steadily  pursuing  his  purpose  without  regard  to  labor 
or  expense.  It  was,  in  fact,  a  continuation  of  the  "  Ancient 
History "  by  Mr.  Ballou,  taking  up  the  subject  where  it  was 


44  MEMOIR    OF 

left  bj  the  author  of  that  work,  and  bringing  it  down  to  the 
then  present  time.  The  volume  contained  a  copious  index, 
prepared  with  great  care. 

The  work  met  with  commendations  from  those  most  inter- 
ested in  its  appearance  and  character.  Mr.  Ballou,  the  author 
of  the  "Ancient  History,"  said  of  it:  "  Though  somewhat 
acquainted  with  the  subject  beforehand,  I  found  my  previous 
calculations  exceeded  by  the  successful  collection  of  materials 
from  an  unexplored  field,  whose  extent,  bounded  only  b}~  the 
uncertain  limits  of  modern  literature,  was  enough  to  dis- 
courage research.  I  met  with  a  mass  of  important  infor- 
mation to  me  entirely  new.  So  far  as  I  can  discover,  the 
important  facts  in  every  part  of  the  history  appear  substan- 
tiated either  by  unquestionable  documents  or  by  adequate 
and  convincing  proofs."  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer  in  the  Ninth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Universalist  Historical  Society  speaks 
of  the  work :  ' '  Great  praise  is  due  Mr.  Whittemore  for  the 
manner  in  which  he  executed  his  task.  Though  less  com- 
plete than  the  '  Ancient  History,'  it  is  still  a  noble  monument 
of  its  author's  industry  and  research.  In  this  department  of 
our  history  the  sources  of  information  were  much  more 
numerous  and  lay  scattered  more  widely.  When  I  consider 
the  time  when  it  was  written,  and  the  very  little  attention 
that  had  then  been  paid  to  the  subject,  I  cannot  but  regard 
the  '  Modern  History '  as  remarkable  for  the  variety  and  gen- 
eral accuracy  of  its  information."  And  he  justly  adds  :  "  In- 
significant as  the  denomination  of  Universalists  may  now 
appear  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  that 
the  tune  is  coming  when  it  will  occupy  in  this  country  and 
throughout  all  Christendom  a  much  more  commanding  posi- 
tion, and  men  will  ask  for  the  beginning  of  what  they  shall 
then  see,  and  love  to  read  the  story  of  our  present  struggles 
and  victories."  The  "Modern  History"  was  afterwards 


THOMAS    WHITTEMOEE.  45 

enlarged  and  greatly  improved  by  Mr.  "Whittemore,  and  one 
volume  of  it  published  in  1860.  His  death,  which  took  place 
soon  afterwards,  interrupted  his  further  labors,  and  the 
second  volume  has  not  yet  appeared. 

On  Thursday,  Jan.  14,  the  new  Universalist  Meeting- 
house in  Dedham,  Mass.,  was  dedicated,  and  Mr.  Whitte- 
more preached  the  sermon  on  the  occasion. 


46  MEMOIR   OF 


CHAPTER    III. 

1830-1833. 
AGED   30-33. 

Dr.  E.  S.  Ely  and  Universalists  —  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher's  opposition  — 
Rev.  Mr.  Atkinson's  ordination  —  Dr.  Ely's  Reply  to  Mr.  Whittemore, 
and  Answer  to  it  —  General  Convention  at  Lebanon,  N.H.  —  Dedi- 
cation at  Annisquam  —  Mr.  Whittemore's  resignation  at  Cambridge- 
port  —  Elected  representative  —  Third  Article  of  Bill  of  Rights  — 
Mr.  Whittemore's  course  and  speech  —  Alteration  effected  —  His 
interest  in  the  town  of  Cambridge  —  Anecdote  —  Controversy  with 
Universalists,  how  to  be  carried  on  —  Rockingham  Association  —  Gen- 
eral Convention  at  Barre,  Vt.  —  Nominated  for  the  Senate  —  Notes  on 
the  Parables  —  McClure's  Lectures  on  Ultra-Universalism  —  Singular 
concession  of  the  author  —  Rockingham  Association — Journey  of  a 
week  —  New  edition  of  Murray's  Life  —  Services  in  South  Boston  — 
Journey  to  New  Hampshire  —  Ordination  at  Rumney  —  Meeting  at 
Wentworth,  at  Concord,  at  Sandown. 

ONE  of  the  leading  editors  of  the  religious  journals  of  the 
country  at  this  time  was  Rev.  Dr.  Ezra  Stiles  Ely,  editor  of 
the  Philadelphian,  a  Presbj'terian  journal.  In  an  article  of 
the  editor,  he  attempts  to  show  what  Professor  Stuart  had, 
not  long  before,  stated,  that  Universalists  are  not  Christians, 
and  ought  not  to  be  entitled  to  the  privilege  of  testifying  by 
oath  in  courts  of  justice.  He,  moreover,  very  seriously  cal- 
culates that  in  the  course  of  thirty  years,  by  means  of 
church  and  home  and  Sabbath-school  training,  the  so-called 
cvaiiu'clical  sects  of  the  country  will  be  able  by  vote  to  con- 
trol its  interests,  and  thus  keep  out  from  public  oflice  all  men 
whose  opinions  do  not  accord  with  their  own.  31  r.  Whitte- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  47 

more  copies  the  article  entire  into  the  Trumpet,  reviews  it 
fairly,  and  administers  to  the  writer  of  it,  as  well  as  to  those 
who  would  approve  of  its  sentiments,  the  reproof  which  it 
so  evidently  deserved.  It  was  a  sturdy  talk,  and  the  Rev. 
Doctor  must  have  felt  its  force. 

The  discourse  against  Universalism,  which  Dr.  Lyman 
Beecher  had  been  promising  for  some  tune  to  repeat,  was,  at 
the  urgent  request  of  the  Universalists  of  Dorchester,  de- 
livered in  one  of  the  Congregational  churches  of  that  town, 
on  Wednesday  evening,  March  17.  Mr.  Whittemore  with 
others,  his  friends,  attended  and  heard  it.  Full  notes  were 
taken,  and  the  discourse  was  published  iu  the  Trumpet,  fol- 
lowed by  a  close  and  thorough  examination  of  it  by  Mr. 
Whittemore.  The  relative  merits  of  the  two  discourses  can 
be  very  soon  decided  by  any  reader  disposed  to  examine  the 
Trumpets  of  April,  1830.  They  were  issued  together  in  pam- 
phlet at  the  time. 

On  Thursday,  April  29,  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Atkinson  was  in- 
stalled as  pastor  of  the  Universalist  Society  in  Hingham, 
Mas-;.  ;  sermon  by  Mr.  Whittemore. 

A  long  letter  from  Dr.  E.  S.  Ely,  in  reply  to  Mr.  Whitte- 
more's  examination  of  his  article  in  the  Philadelphian,  ap- 
peared in  the  Trumpet  of  May  15.  In  the  next  issue,  Mr. 
Whittemore  replied  to  the  Doctor  at  length,  reviewing  his 
statements  respecting  Calvinism,  in  which  the  Doctor  had 
represented  himself  as  holding  a  Calvinism  quite  different 
from  the  original  theology  of  that  name,  and  congratulating 
him  on  his  approach  towards  Universalism.  The  Doctor  had 
given  Mr.  Whittemore  most  earnest  exhortations  to  embrace 
Orthodoxy,  because  of  its  safety.  Mr.  Whittemore  favors  his 
brother  with  an  equally  fervent  plea  in  behalf  of  Universalism, 
because  of  its  pre-eminent  claims  on  the  reason  and  con- 
science of  mankind. 


48  MEMOIR    OF 

In  September  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  attended  the 
General  Convention  held  at  Lebanon,  N.H.  On  his  way  he 
preached  to  a  large  congregation  in  Mason  Village,  and  on 
his  return,  in  Sutton  and  Bradford,  N.H.  The  Convention 
was  largely  attended,  and  five  discourses  were  preached 
during  its  session,  one  of  them  by  Mr.  Whittemore.  He 
also  wrote  the  Circular  Letter.  The  Boston  Association 
also  held  its  annual  session  in  Cambridgeport,  Dec.  8.  Mr. 
Whittemore  was  appointed  to  prepare  the  minutes  with  a 
Circular  Letter  for  publi cation. 

On  Wednesday,  Jan.  5,  1831,  the  new  meeting-house  in 
Annisquam,  Mass.,  was  dedicated.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached 
the  sermon.  The  old  house  had  stood  upon  the  same  ground 
one  hundred  and  two  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Leonard,  who  had 
been  settled  as  a  Congregationalist  minister,  but  had  em- 
braced the  Universalist  faith  and  was  sustained  by  his  con- 
gregation, was  pastor  at  the  time.  He  had  been  settled 
there  twenty- five  years. 

In  March  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  tendered  his  resig- 
nation as  pastor  of  the  society  in  Cambridgeport.  He  had 
for  some  time  been  conscious  that  his  many  duties  as  editor 
and  publisher  of  a  weekly  paper  seriously  interfered  with  the 
regular  performance  of  his  parochial  work,  thus  depriving 
the  societj*  of  one  great  aid  to  their  prosperity.  Notwith- 
standing their  desire  for  him  to  prolong  his  services  among 
them,  he  deemed  it  wrong  to  consent  to  sustain  an  office  the 
duties  of  which  he  was  conscious  that  he  could  but  partially 
fulfil.  He  expressed  his  intention  to  work  more  freely  and 
extensively  as  an  evangelist,  preaching  in  different  places  as 
his  services  might  be  desired. 

In  May  following  his  resignation  as  pastor  at  Cambridge- 
port,  he  was  elected  a  representative  to  the  State  Legislature 
from  Cambridge.  He  continued  to  serve  the  town  in  this 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  49 

capacity  for  several  years,  and  rendered  very  acceptable  ser- 
vice to  the  town  and  State.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in 
effecting  a  change  in  the  Third  Article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights  or 
Constitution  of  Massachusetts.  This  article  provided  for 
the  compulsory  support  of  religion  ;  that  is,  it  made  religion 
a  matter  of  state,  and  provided  for  its  support  by  law.  Mr. 
AVhittemore,  like  Jefferson  and  Madison  and  others,  believed 
that  the  support  of  religion  might  be  safely  trusted  to  the 
piety  and  good  sense  of  the  public.  He  moved  the  reference 
of  certain  petitions  to  a  select  committee,  of  which  he  was 
made  chairman,  a  place  that  he  held  through  three  successive 
sessions.  The  first  year,  1831,  the  amendment  passed  the 
House  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds,  but  was  lost  in  the  Senate. 
The  next  year  it  passed  through  both  branches  of  the  Legis- 
lature by  a  vote  of  two  thirds  in  the  House  and  a  majority  in 
the  Senate,  without  which  a  change  in  the  Constitution  could 
not  take  place.  The  Constitution  also  required  that  it  should 
pass  both  branches  a  second  year,  which  was  done  in  1833. 
It  was  then  submitted  to  the  people  and  was  adopted  by  a 
large  majority. 

As  Mr.  AVhittemore  was  deeply  interested  in  this  subject, 
it  was  expected  that  he  would  addi'ess  the  House  in  advocacy 
of  the  alteration.  This  he  did  with  great  earnestness  and 
effect.  Expressing  regret  that  it  had  fallen  to  him  among 
his  other  numerous  engagements  to  take  the  lead  in  this 
movement  of  reform,  he  proceeded  to  show  at  some  length 
the  character  of  the  petitions  received  and  the  reasons  as- 
signed by  the  petitioners  for  the  change  they  asked.  A 
little  space  here  cannot  be  better  occupied  than  with  a  few 
extracts  from  the  speech,  which  was  somewhat  extended  :  — 

"  For  one,  Mr.  Whittemore  thought  it  worthy  of  consideration, 
whether  the  civil  power  can,  with  propriety,  interfere  in  the  con- 
cerns of  religion  to  compel  people  to  support  it.  Jesus  Christ  never 

4 


50  MEMOIR   OF 

designed  that  his  religion  should  be  supported  by  the  civil  power. 
He  did  not  apply  to  the  civil  power  for  support ;  he  never  had  the 
support  of  the  civil  power,  but  was  always  opposed  to  it.  And, 
furthermore,  he  has  left  no  directions  to  his  followers  to  seek  this 
aid.  A  man's  views  of  piety,  religion,  and  morality,  are  a  concern 
solely  between  his  conscience  and  his  God.  He  is  not  accountable 
for  them  to  civil  government  unless  he  disturbs  the  public  peace. 
Our  common  Master  did  not  hold  himself  accountable  to  Jewish 
law  in  this  respect. 

"  Men  whom  we  should  call  political  religionists,  answer  this  argu- 
ment as  follows:  '  That  government  has  a  right  to  legislate  on  that 
which  tends  to  the  public  good,  and  that  we  may  legislate  on  relig- 
ion for  the  same  reason  that  we  may  legislate  concerning  schools. 
Every  man  is  obliged  to  pay  taxes  for  the  support  of  the  public 
schools,  not  excepting  him  who  has  no  children,  because  these 
schools  are  for  the  public  good,  and  he,  indirectly  at  least,  enjoys 
the  benefit  of  them.  For  the  same  reason  every  man  should  be 
compelled  to  support  religion,  for  he  enjoys  the  benefit  of  the 
religious  state  of  society,  though  he  never  attends  public  worship.' 
Mr.  Whittemore,  in  reply,  said  that  religion  and  education  arc  two 
entirely  different  things.  So  long  as  a  man's  religion  does  not 
disturb  the  public  peace,  the  laws  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  But 
education  is  a  fair  subject  of  human  legislation.  On  this  all  the 
citizens  are  agreed, — they  are  not  split  into  innumerable  sects, 
A\  ith  a  thousand  conflicting  interests  and  prejudices,  —  and  no  one's 
conscience  suffers  violence. 

"  '  But  (said  Mr.  Whittemore)  the  argument  that  pure  religion 
tends  to  the  stability  of  government  goes  to  show  that  we  should 
not  establish  it  by  law.  The  way  to  keep  religion  pure  is  to  leave 
it  to  the  free  will  of  the  people.  Xo  religion  but  that  which  is 
voluntary  can  <lo  good.  If  you  force  people  to  support  it,  it  is  only 
their  money  you  can  get;  you  do  not  cause  them  to  respect  religion, 
and  therefore  you  do  hurt,  for  you  excite  their  ill  will.  The  bene- 
fit \\hich  religion  gives  to  the  stability  and  good  order  of  society 
is  greater  without  the  aid  of  law  than  with  it;  because  the  benefit 
of  religion  to  any  individual  consists  in  its  being  left  entirely  to  his 
conscience  and  his  choice.  Religion  to  do  any  good  must  operate 
on  his  heart;  it  must  regulate  his  affections;  it  must  subdue  his 


THOMAS    WUITTEMORE.  51 

passions;  it  must  impress  its  likeness  on  his  soul:  but  this  a  mere 
artificial  support  can  never  do;  this  a  legal  enactment  never  will 
effect.'  Mr.  Whittemore  maintained,  therefore,  that  legal  support 
was  a  clog  to  pure  and  undefiled  religion ;  a  millstone  hung  about 
its  neck,  with  the  preposterous  object  of  elevating  it  in  public 
estimation.  This  has  been  precisely  the  effect  of  the  legal  support 
of  religion  in  Massachusetts.  The  commonwealth  has  been  split 
up  into  numberless  and  unnamable  sects  ;  the  oldest  parishes 
in  the  several  towns  have  been  injured  by  the  laws  that  were 
designed  to  support  them ;  and  unless  they  have  been  sustained  by 
gifts,  bequests,  and  funds,  they  have  become  weakened  until  they 
can  with  difficulty  breathe  the  breath  of  life.  Religion  has  flour- 
ished most  among  the  dissenters  from  the  oldest  parishes ;  a  fact 
undeniable  in  the  estimation  of  every  one  acquainted  with  the 
state  of  religion  throughout  the  commonwealth. 

"  Moreover,  Mr.  Speaker,  you  always  lower  the  standard  of 
religion  by  connecting  it  with  human  law.  This  all  ecclesiastical 
history  proves.  Religion  has  always  been  the  purest  when  totally 
disconnected  from  the  civil  power,  and  even  when  persecuted  by  it. 
This  fact  is  stronger  than  a  volume  of  speculations,  conjectures,  and 
fine-drawn  inferences.  What  history  teaches  in  its  plainest  forms, 
what  the  experience  of  eighteen  centuries  fully  proves,  should  not 
be  lightly  passed  over.  In  the  primitive  ages  of  Christianity,  the 
religion  of  our  common  Master  shone  in  its  primeval  lustre  ;  but  does 
any  one  need  to  be  told  that  he  was  not  supported  by  human  law,  but 
opposed  and  persecuted  and  crucified  by  it?  His  followers  were  pur- 
sued from  city  to  city,  were  scourged,  stoned,  and  sawn  asunder. 
But  their  religion  was  pure.  Three  centuries  afterwards,  when  Con- 
stantine,  the  first  of  the  Roman  emperors  who  was  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity, linked  the  religion  with  the  State,  it  soon  became  debased. 
Its  ministers  were  corrupted  ;  they  grew  proud,  indolent,  and 
arrogant  ;  they  perverted  the  Word  of  God  to  sustain  the  State  that 
indulged  and  pampered  them  ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  few 
traces  of  the  original  purity  of  the  religion  of  Christ  could  be 
found.  Follow  religion  through  the  dark  ages,  while  it  was  the  close 
ally  of  the  civil  power,  and  what  do  you  find  of  that  beautiful 
system  of  piety,  doctrine,  and  morals  bequeathed  to  the  world  by 
Jesus  Christ,  except  the  mere  name  and  shadow  of  it  ?  When  the 


52  MEMOIR   OF 

voice  of  Luther  broke  the  silence  of  a  thousand  years,  and  he 
endeavored  to  call  back  the  church  from  its  wanderings  and  errors, 
by  whom  was  he  opposed?  By  civil  rulers  tinder  the  dominion  of 
a  corrupt  clergy  ;  and,  although  one  or  two  of  the  petty  potentates 
of  Germany  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Reformation,  it  is  indispu- 
table that  the  Emperor  Charles  V.,  and  the  civil  rulers  generally,  at 
first  opposed  it  ;  and  at  last  they  were  induced  to  aid  it,  principally 
because  it  gave  them  deliverance  from  the  terrific  power  of  the 
Roman  Pontiff.  The  pages  of  ecclesiastical  history  are  black  with 
the  accounts  of  the  evil  that  has  been  done  to  religion  by  associating 
it  with  human  law. 

"It  does  not  follow,  Mr.  Speaker,  because  a  thing  is  beneficial 
to  society,  that  therefore  we  must  legislate  about  it.  The  shining 
of  the  sun  is  of  vast  benefit  to  the  commonwealth,  but  is  far  above 
the  power  of  human  legislation  ;  and  so  is  that  religion  above 
human  legislation  which  is  the  '  Sun  of  Righteousness,'  and  '  the 
Light  of  the  world.'  The  falling  of  the  rain  is  of  incalculable 
benefit  to  the  commonwealth,  but  it  is  above  the  power  of  Inirnan 
constitutions  and  statutes  ;  and  so  is  that  religion  which  '  drops 
like  the  rain  and  distils  like  the  dew,  like  the  small  rain  upon  the 
tender  herb,  and  the  showers  upon  the  grass.'  It  is  for  the  benefit 
of  society  that  persons  should  enter  into  the  married  relation,  but 
we  make  no  laws  to  compel  them  to  be  married.  What  should  we 
do  if  the  farmers  should  refuse  to  till  the  earth?  Society  would  be 
in  a  most  lamentable  situation  ;  but  no  one  thinks  it  necessary  to 
enact  laws  to  compel  them  to  do  this.  Such  things  are  governed 
by  laws  which  sway  men  with  an  irresistible  force,  far  above  the 
power  of  formal  statutes.  Government  would  very  soon  come  to 
an  end  if  every  person  should  refuse  to  eat.  But  is  it  necessary 
to  ordain  that  persons  shall  eat,  and  threaten  them  with  penalties 
if  they  neglect  ?  No,  sir.  The  laws  which  God  has  ordained  in 
man  regulate  that  matter.  To  apply  this  comparison,  the  laws  of 
the  human  mind  and  conscience  will  regulate  religion  with  as  much 
certainty.  Religion  is  the  aliment  of  the  soul,  the  bread  and  water 
of  life  :  the  soul  cannot  live  without  it.  The  matter  is  made  cer- 
tain by  the  laws  of  the  human  constitution  :  it  is  above,  far  above, 
all  legislative  enactments  ;  they  can  have  in  the  nature  of  things 
no  more  effect  in  sustaining  religion  than  discussions  concerning 
the  motions  of  Saturn  can  control  the  revolutions  of  that  planet." 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  53 

After  stating  these  general  principles  applicable  to  the  case, 
Mr.  Whittemore  turned  to  the  operation  of  the  then  existing 
constitutional  enactment  respecting  religion,  as  it  was  seen  in 
Massachusetts.  This  formed  a  very  important  part  of  his 
speech,  and  was  very  effective  at  the  tune  of  its  utterance ; 
but  we  have  not  room  for  it  here.  He  concluded  by  say- 
ing'— 

"  The  voice  of  the  people,  Mr.  Speaker,  calls  loudly  for  the 
alteration  of  the  third  article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights.  In  this  country 
they  are  the  supreme  power.  Popular  opinion,  in  its  steady  course, 
is  like  the  current  of  a  river,  bat  in  its  violence  it  is  like  a  cataract 
which  nothing  can  withstand.  What  are  we,  sir,  but  the  straws 
that  are  borne  on  the  surface  ?  We  are  the  servants  of  the  people 
sent  here  to  represent  them.  The  power  of  public  opinion  always 
will  be  felt  more  or  less,  even  in  those  countries  where  it  is  re- 
strained by  constitutional  provisions  ;  and  where  it  has  not  legal 
redress  it  will  break  forth  in  violence.  Look  at  the  exhibition  of 
public  sentiment  in  England  on  the  rejection  of  the  reform  bill  by 
the  House  of  Lords.  It  convulsed  the  nation.  The  castles  of  the 
offending  peers  were  levelled  in  the  dust.  We  have  no  fear  of  such 
an  issue  here,  because  the  people,  when  aggrieved,  can  always  avail 
themselves  of  constitutional  redress.  And  they  will.  If  the  desired 
alteration  does  not  take  place  now,  they  will  speak  in  a  voice  of 
seven  thunders,  and  they  will  lie  heard.  We  cannot  resist  them. 
There  is  great  force  and  beauty  in  the  classical  apotheosis  of  public 
sentiment  :  Vox  populi,  vox  Dei.  Sir,  bid  the  Mississippi  roll  back 
its  waters  to  the  Xorth  ;  say  to  the  earth,  '  Cease  thy  revolution  ; ' 
speak  to  the  sun  in  mid-heaven ,  command  him  to  turn  to  the  East  : 
and  you  shall  be  obeyed  when  the  force  of  public  opinion  in  Massa- 
chusetts can  be  successfully  resisted." 

There  was  a  strong  minority  of  opposition  to  this  altera- 
tion. Hon.  Mr.  Hoar,  in  the  Senate,  made  a  very  urgent 
plea  against  it.  He  had  said,  in  the  Convention  of  1820  for 
the  revision  of  the  State  Constitution,  that  Massachusetts 
must  retain  the  third  article,  or  maintain  a  standing  army  ! 1 

»   Trumpet,  Nov.  26,  1831. 


54  MEMOIR    OF 

"Mr.  Whittemore  was  deeply  interested  in  all  that  con- 
cerned the  prosperity  of  Cambridge.  Subject  as  the  town  was 
to  conflagrations,  —  it  being  principally  built  of  wood,  —  Mr. 
Whittemore,  while  one  of  the  selectmen,  procured,  by  private 
subscriptions  and  public  appropriations,  some  thirty  reservoirs 
of  water  to  be  put  down  in  a  single  year,  which  proved  to  be 
of  immense  service.  And  years  afterwards,  when  an  effort 
was  made  by  the  citizens  of  '  Old  Cambridge,'  so  called,  — 
it  being  that  section  in  which  Harvard  College  stands, — to 
obtain  a  division  of  the  town,  Mr.  Whittemore  opposed  it  with 
all  his  energy.  He  appeared  as  the  agent  of  the  town  author- 
ities before  successive  committees  of  the  legislature ;  and  it 
was  principally  by  his  instrumentality  that  the  design  was 
frustrated.  So  impressed  was  he  with  the  injustice  of  the 
attempt,  that  he  described  the  petitions  to  the  committee  as 
a  proposition  to  incorporate  the  wealth  into  one  town,  and  the 
expenses  into  another.  Hon.  Kobert  Rantoul,  on  one  of  these 
occasions,  was  the  opposing  counsel  to  Mr.  Whittemore. 
Shortly  after,  these  petitions  were  defeated ;  and,  to  set  the 
matter  of  a  division  at  rest,  Mr.  Whittemore  advised  an  ap- 
plication for  a  city  charter,  which  was  obtained,  and  the  town 
was  changed  to  the  '  City  of  Cambridge.'  In  the  debates 
before  the  legislative  committee  on  the  subject  of  the  charter, 
Mr.  Whittemore  met,  as  the  opposing  counsel,  Hon.  J.  G. 
Palfrey." 1 

While  Mr.  Whittemore  was  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts 
Legislature,  a  resolution  was  introduced  proposing  to  increase 
the  daily  pay  of  the  members.  Mr.  Whittemore  gave  no 
countenance  to  the  proposition,  and  sought  to  defeat  it  by 
his  speeches  and  otherwise.  It,  however,  prevailed.  When 
Mr.  Whittemore  was  afterwards  asked  by  some  friends  of  the 
1  Sketches  of  Eminent  Americans,  New  York,  1853. 


TUOMAX    WHITTEMORE.  55 

proposed  measure  what  he  did  when  the  Legislature  decided 
to  adopt  it?  "  Oh  !  "  said  he,  "  I  concluded  it  best  to  pocket 
the  insult." 

The  Trumpet  of  April  2  contains  a  timely  editorial  on 
"Controversy  with  Universalists."  It  was  written  in  view 
of  the  new  interest  taken  by  the  sects  in  the  Universalist 
controversy,  and  contains  some  very  just  and  practical  sug- 
gestions as  to  the  manner  in  which  it  should  be  carried  on. 
He  proposes,  1st,  that  slander  and  hard  names  be  left  out  of 
it :  2d.  that  affirmations  as  to  the  h'centious  tendency  of  Uni- 
versalism  be  dispensed  with,  as  if  the  doctrine  is  proved  false 
the  Universalists  will  give  it  up  without  controversy  as  to  its 
tendency ;  3d,  to  repeat  arguments  which  have  been  time 
after  time  answered,  without  showing  that  these  arguments 
are  unsound,  will  by  no  means  convince  those  for  whom  they 
are  intended  :  4th,  to  string  together  an  assortment  of  Script- 
ure texts  will  not  satisfy  Universalists  that  their  sentiments 
are  false  ;  5th,  explanations  of  the  text,  and  reasons  for  these 
explanations,  must  be  given  ;  6th,  it  will  avail  nothing  to 
refer  to  antiquity,  because  that  may  be  pleaded  in  favor  of 
error  as  well  as  of  truth.  "Universalists  require  of  their 
opponents  that  Universalism  be  shown  to  be  an  unscriptural 
doctrine,  if  possible  by  fair  and  manly  criticism.  They  can- 
not be  frighted  nor  persuaded  out  of  their  opinions,  except 
by  the  noble  and  irresistible  persuasion  which  evidence  exer- 
cises over  the  mind.  These  hints  are  given  that  those  desirous 
of  engaging  in  the  controversy  concerning  Uuiversalism  may 
avail  themselves  of  them,  and  no  longer  '  labor  in  vain  and 
spend  their  strength  for  nought.' " 

In  August  of  this  year  Mr.  Whittemore  attended  the 
Rockinghani  Association,  at  Lamprey  River  village,  X.H., 
preaching  on  his  way  at  Kensington  one  Sabbath,  and  giving 
an  evening  lecture  in  South  Hampton.  Large  congregations 


56  MEMOIR  OF 

were  in  attendance  at  Lamprey  River,  and  the  services  were 
in  the  Methodist  meeting-house,  kindly  granted  for  the  occa- 
sion. Eight  discourses  were  delivered,  one  of  them  by  Mr. 
Whittemore.  From  the  Association  he  went  to  Exeter,  where 
he  preached  on  Friday  evening,  in  the  Court-house,  to  a  very 
crowded  congregation.  The  Sunday  following  he  preached 
in  Atkinson. 

The  General  Convention  held  its  annual  session  this  year 
in  Barre,  Vt.  It  was  a  meeting  of  unusual  interest.  Mr. 
Whittemore  attended,  and  preached  on  the  evening  of  the 
first  day.  Rev.  Hosea  Ballon  delivered  the  last  discourse, 
one  of  his  most  effective  efforts,  from  Job  xxxvi.  2  :  "  Suffer 
me  a  little,  and  I  will  show  thee  that  I  have  yet  to  speak  on 
God's  behalf."  On  this  occasion  the  house  was  thronged, 
and  man}' who  could  not  obtain  a  place  within  were  seated  iu 
carnages  outside  at  the  opened  windows. 

Pending  the  actual  election  of  State  officers  in  Massachu- 
setts this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore's  name  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  a  list  of  persons  nominated  for  senators  in  the  Dis- 
trict of  Middlesex.  On  this  he  remarks  in  the  Trumpet: 
"  The  editor  supposes  that  his  name  was  put  on  this  ticket  in 
consequence  of  the  part  he  has  taken  for  a  year  past  in  en- 
deavoring to  obtain  an  alteration  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
Commonwealth  in  the  third  article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights.  It 
is  but  justice  to  the  public  that  this  should  be  said.  His  views 
on  this  subject  are  well  known,  and  are  fully  expressed  in 
another  column ;  so  that  nothing  further  will  be  said  on  this 
subject  in  this  place.  "We  esteem  it  our  duty  to  add,  how- 
ever, that  we  have  but  little  expectation  that  the  above  ticket 
will  be  successful ;  for  although  the  majority  of  the  citi/ens 
are  willing  the  article  should  be  abolished,  the  more  powerful 
influences  of  political  party  will  control  the  impending  elec- 
tions." 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  57 

Mr.  Wliittemore  was  present  at  the  session  of  the  Boston 
Association  held  at  Lowell,  Dec.  7,  and  preached  in  the 
evening. 

Another  volume  from  Mr.Whittemore's  pen  is  now  announced 
in  the  Trumpet ;  viz.,  his  "  Notes  on  the  Parables  of  the  New 
Testament,"  a  work  of  about  290  duodecimo  pages.  The 
parables  are  arranged  in  reference  to  the  order  of  time  in 
which  they  were  spoken ;  a  distinct  exposition  is  given  of 
each,  illustrated  by  such  helps  as  the  best  commentators  and 
most  approved  travellers  have  furnished.  As  many  of  the 
parables  have  been  used  to  support  the  doctrine  of  endless 
suffering,  particular  care  was  to  be  taken  to  show  wherein 
orthodox  expositors  have  agreed  with  Universalists  in  their 
interpretations  of  them.  A  full  index  is  added  to  the  work. 
The  "  Notes"  are  dedicated  to  Rev.  II.  Ballou,  who  had  him- 
self in  former  }-ears  issued  a  work  on  this  subject. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  June  30,  the  leading  editorial  is  a 
notice  of  a  new  little  work  just  then  issued  from  the  press, 
entitled  "Lectures  on  Ultra-Universalism,"  by  Rev.  A.  W. 
MoClure,  pastor  of  the  Orthodox  church  in  Maiden,  Mass. 
The  object  of  the  work,  as  its  author  affirms,  is  to  "  assail 
Umversalism  with  the  sharp  shooting  of  wit."  He  complains 
of  Universalists  that  they  are  "vulgar,  that  their  coarse 
habits,  their  cultivated  scurrilit}*,  their  grovelling  tastes,  their 
deficient  education,"  serve  to  "  associate  them  with  all  that 
is  distressingly  low."  As  to  his  candor  and  good  feeling,  he 
remarks,  that  it  is  no  part  of  his  design  to  wound  their  (Uni- 
vi'i  salists')  feelings  through  mere  wantonness  and  malice,  or 
unjustifiably  to  pervert  their  favorite  doctrines.  "Far  be  it 
from  me  to  pursue  any  such  object.  I  am  sensible  that  such 
an  aim  would  be  too  inglorious,  and  that  success  would  but 
poorly  reward  the  labor  of  securing  it."  He  considers  his 
book  as  possessing  "heartfelt,  heaven-born  piety,  eternal 


58  MEMOIR   OF 

celestial  truth,  genuine  sincerity ; "  in  proof  of  all  which  he 
proceeds  to  pour  out  upon  the  objects  of  his  special  attention 
ridicule  without  stint,  and  vituperation  without  measure.  The 
professed  believers  in  the  doctrine  are  classed  with  the  lowest 
and  vilest  of  society,  and  accused  of  wringing  and  twisting 
Scripture  so  unmerciful^  that  it  can  almost  be  heard  to  scream 
out  at  the  hard  usage  it  meets  at  their  hands.  He  advises  them 
all  to  get  into  glory  as  soon  as  possible  by  means  of  suicide, 
and  wonders  that  they  should  "  lag  behind,"  and  stay  out  of 
heaven  as  long  as  "  rum,  death,  and  the  doctor  will  let  them." 
As  to  their  preachers,  such  men  as  Ballou,  Whittemorc.  and 
Cobb,  and  their  associates,  he  says,  "  I  have  no  thought  of 
v}*ing  with  them  in  the  panoply  with  which  Satan  arms  them. 
Him  they  ma}'  thank  for  what  moral  power  they  have.  He  is 
the  arch-prelate  of  their  hierarchy,  and  they  are  the  cardinals 
and  minor  clergy  of  the  infernal  See." 

This  is  a  specimen  of  the  lectures,  and  Mr.  Whittemore 
paid  due  attention  to  them.  The  extracts  he  made  from  them 
were  their  hardest  condemnation.  Poison  and  antidote  wi-re 
in  the  same  volume.  The  whole  thing  was  maliciously  and 
ridiculously  overwrought.  The  lectures  carried  their  own 
refutation  with  them.  Mr.  Whittemore  noticed  the  book,  and 
animadverted  upon  it,  not  so  much  because  of  what  it  was  in 
reality,  as  of  the  recommendations  it  received  from  leading 
ministers  and  reviewers  of  the  Orthodox  churches.  To  them, 
no  matter  how  hard  the  abuse,  or  how  intense  the  obloquy 
cast  upon  Universalists,  the  end  justified  the  means.  But 
Mr.  Whittemore  in  all  his  notices  of  this  little  vituperative 
volume,  turned  its  sayings  in  their  bearing  on  Universalism  to 
a  profitable  account. 

One  of  the  most  ludicrous  of  Mr.  McClure's  statements  in 
one  of  the  lectures  was,  that  Universalists  had  no  oaths  of 
their  own  ;  so  that  when  enraged  the}'  could  not  swear,  unless 


THOMAS    WII1TTE.MORE.  59 

they  borrowed  orthodox  oaths  !  Their  doctrine  taught  them 
to  bless  even  their  enemies,  and  how  could  they  curse  them 
consistently  with  their  own  faith?  It  has  always  seemed  un- 
accountable to  those  who  have  considered  this  slip  of  the 
author's  pen.  where  his  thoughts  could  have  been  when  he 
made  it.  But  Universalists  have  alwa^-s  given  him  credit  for 
truthfulness  in  this  statement. 

Nearly  half  a  century  has  passed  since  these  lectures  were 
written.  They  have  never  injured  the  cause  of  Christian 
Universalism  ;  and  the  author  was  capable  of  better  work 
than  he  put  into  them.  But  he  was  in  the  drift  of  the  excite- 
ment then  rife  against  our  holy  faith,  and  seemed  not  to 
have  the  power  of  resisting  a  temptation  to  render  himself 
conspicuous  in  this  particular  mode  of  warfare.  There  are 
none  who  envy  him  the  laurels  he  gained  in  it.  The  writer  of 
this  Memoir  afterwards  spent  3~ears  with  him  as  a  neighbor 
and  personal  friend.  His  heart  was  always  better  than  his 
theology. 

The  Rockingham  Association  for  this  year  (1832)  was  held 
in  South  Hampton,  N.II.  The  meeting  was  well  attended,  and 
six  sermons  wei'e  delivered  to  large  congregations  of  attentive 
hearers.  Mr.  Whitternore  preached  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
first  da}*. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Oct.  27,  Mr.  Whittemore  records  the 
journey  of  a  week.  Leaving  Boston  on  Friday  night,  Oct. 
1.").  in  a  packet  for  Orleans,  Cape  Cod.  he  reached  there  at 
three  o'clock  Sunday  morning  ;  preached  at  Brewster  that  day. 
and  on  Monday  evening  in  Orleans,  in  the  Methodist  church. 
He  returned  through  Brewstcr  to  Dennis,  where  he  preached 
on  Tuesday  at  the  South  Milage.  He  went  to  Hyannis  Wed- 
nesday, to  attend  the  annual  session  of  the  Old  Colony  Asso- 
ciation. Three  discourses,  one  by  Mr.  Whittemore,  were 
preached  on  that  day  to  very  crowded  audiences.  Rev.  J.  M. 


60  MEMOIR  or 

Spear  was  the  pastor  at  Hyannis.  On  Thursday,  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  went  to  Plymouth,  where  he  preached  in  the  evening  of 
that  da}T.  On  Friday  evening,  he  preached  in  Halifax.  He 
was  intending  to  rest  on  Saturday,  but  was  urged  to  go  over 
to  Abington  and  speak  on  Saturday  evening.  Universalism 
had  never  been  preached  in  that  town.  A  large  school-house 
was  filled  to  inconvenience  with  attentive  hearers.  He  reached 
"West  Bridgewater  that  night,  and  preached  there  the  next  day 
(Sunday).  "We  occupied,"  he  writes,  "  the  Baptist  Meet- 
ing-house, in  the  west  part  of  the  town,  on  the  skirt  of  a  wood, 
like  the  house  Thomas  Potter  built,  and  in  which  Murray 
first  preached  on  landing  in  America.  This  house  had  never 
before  been  opened  to  Universalists.  It  is  large,  with  a 
gallery  on  three  sides,  and  was  filled  above  and  below.  I  had 
preached  in  this  town  several  times  before,  but  never  to  so 
many  people.  We  had  a  choir  of  fifty  singers,  who  performed 
some  of  the  antique  American  music  with  great  effect.  .  .  .  On 
the  evening  of  this  da}-,  I  went  over  to  Easton,  and  preached 
in  a  large  school-house  in  the  south-east  part  of  the  town. 
The  lecture  was  attended  by  a  crowd.  The  main  house 
and  entry  were  full,  and  there  was  a  throng  outside.  The 
windows  were  thrown  up,  and  all  were  able  to  hear.  I 
returned  after  lecture  to  West  Bridgewater,  and  on  Monday, 
home." 

In  the  Trumpet  of  March  30,  1833,  a  new  edition  of  the 
Life  of.  Rev.  John  Murray,  prepared  by  Mr.  Whittemore,  is 
announced,  differing  materially  from  all  that  have  been  pub- 
lished. "  The  text  will  be  the  same  in  ever}'  respect  as  it 
was  iu  the  original  edition  published  by  Mrs.  Murray.  MS  far 
as  it  goes.  But  there  are  one  or  two  important  portions  of 
his  biography  included  in  his  '  Works '  which  will  be  incor- 
porated into  this  edition  of  his  life.  A  considerable  body  of 
notes  will  be  added,  tin-owing  light  on  different  parts  of  the 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  61 

work  and  containing  much  information  in  regard  to  the  early 
history  of  Universalism  in  America  not  before  published.  An 
Appendix  will  be  added  containing  documents  illustrative  of 
the  events  in  which  Mr.  Murray  was  concerned." 

The  dedication  of  the  new  meeting-house  erected  by  the 
Universalists  of  South  Boston,  and  the  installation  of  Rev. 
Benjamin  Whittemore  as  pastor  of  the  societ}7,  took  place  on 
Wednesday,  April  10.  The  Dedicatory  Sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou,  and  the  Installation  Sermon  b}-  Mr. 
Whittemore  ;  sermon  in  the  evening  by  Rev.  Sylvanus  Cobb 
of  Maiden. 

In  June  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  was  called  into  New 
Hampshire  to  attend  the  ordination  of  a  j-ounger  brother  in 
the  ministry,  John  G.  Adams.  After  preaching  in  Hancock, 
N.H.,  on  Sunday,  to  ';  a  large  concourse,"  as  he  writes,  he 
passed  on  to  Concord  Monday,  where  he  was  joined  by  Rev. 
Hosea  Ballou,  who  preached  that  evening  in  the  Unitarian 
Church  in  Concord.  The  house  was  filled,  and  the  congre- 
gation was  composed  largely  of  the  members  of  the  State 
legislature  then  in  session.  A  \ery  complimentary  notice  of 
Mr.  Ballou's  discourse  was  given  by  one  of  the  secular 
journals  of  the  town.1  Mr.  Ballou  went  in  company  with 
Mr.  AVhittemore  to  Rumney.  The  account  is  thus  given  in 
the  Trumpet :  — 

"  On  Tuesda}7  we  proceeded,  in  company  with  Brother  Bal- 
lou. to  Rumney.  X.H.,  for  the  purpose  of  attending  the  ordi- 
nation of  Brother  John  Gr.  Adams,  which  took  place  on  the 
following  day.  The  services  were  attended  b}*  a  very  large 
concourse  of  people  from  Rumne}'  and  the  neighboring  towns, 
so  that  it  was  judged  necessary  to  place  extra  support  under 
the  galleries.  The  utmost  silence  and  attention  were,  not- 
i  Whittemore's  Life  of  Ballou,  Vol.  III.  p.  145. 


62  MEMOIR   OF 

withstanding,  observed,  and  the  solemnities  of  the  ordination 
seemed  to  soften  every  heart  and  to  lead  every  one  present 
to  pray  in  spirit  for  the  divine  blessing  on  the  candidate  and 
on  the  cause  which  he  has  espoused.1  On  Thursday,  we  went 
together  to  Wentworth,  a  town  adjoining  Rumney  on  the 
north.  Here  the  brethren  insisted  that  we  should  both  preach 
in  the  afternoon.  Brother  W.  S.  Balch  was  present,  and 
offered  the  introductory  prayer.  This  was  followed  by  two 
discourses,  —  the  first  from  Brother  Ballon.  Brother  Adams 
offered  the  concluding  prayer.  The  congregation  sustained 
an  unremitted  attention  through  the  service,  which  was 
nearly  of  three  hours'  continuance.  We  had  time  to  become 
acquainted  with  but  few  of  the  brethren  here.  Those  we 
saw  have  been  tried  and  found  faithful.  We  mention  with 
pleasure  the  name  of  Caleb  Keith,  Esq.,  a  gentleman  who, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  nearly  fourscore,  sustains  the  vigor 
and  vivacity  of  youth,  and  adorns  the  doctrine  he  professes 
with  a  corresponding  life.  On  Friday  morning,  we  left  our 
friends  in  Rumney  and  returned  to  Concord.  A  lecture  had 
been  appointed  for  us  at  the  Unitarian  Church,  which  was 
attended  by  many  members  of  the  Legislature  and  many 
citizens  of  the  place."  He  spent  the  following  Sunday  in 
Sandown,  N.H.,  preaching  to  a  large  congregation. 

1  This  old  town's  meeting-house  stood  on  the  common  at  Rumney 
Centre.  In  more  recent  time,  other  churches  have  been  erected  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  the  old  one  lias  been  moved  away  and  devoted  to 
other  uses.  Within  a  few  years,  a  substantial  stone-post  enclosure  has 
been,  by  voluntary  subscription,  placed  around  the  common,  in  the 
centre  of  which  an  elegant  bronze  fountain  sends  out  its  waters. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  63 


CHAPTER     IV. 

1833-1836. 
AGED     33-36. 

Roekingham  Association,  1833  —  General  Convention  at  Straff  ord,  Vt. 
—  Scenery  on  the  journey  —  Sippican  —  Opposition  at  Danvers  — 
Rev.  M.  P.  Braman  —  Public  discussion  with  him  —  Comments  upon 
it  —  Journey  of  a  week  —  Ware,  Brimfield,  dedication  at  Spencer  — 
Boston  Association — Rev.  Parsons  Cooke,  and  One  Hundred  Argu- 
ments—  Rockingham  Association,  1834  —  General  Convention  at 
Albany,  N.Y. — Visit  to  northern  New  Hampshire  —  Boston  Asso- 
ciation—  Discussion  respecting  zeal — Mr.  Whittemore's  views  of 
conference,  prayer,  and  praise  meetings  —  Capital  Punishment  —  Tem- 
perance—  Visit  to  Maine,  and  Lectures — Brunswick,  Topsham, 
Bowdoinharn  —  Maine  Convention  —  Dr.  Beecher  —  Rockingham 
Association,  1835 — Jubilee  Session  of  U.S.  Convention  —  Boston 
ciation  —  Stoughton  —  Dedication  at  West  Rumney,  X.H. — 
Meetings  in  New  Hampshire  —  Discussion  again  on  conference  and 
prayer  meetings  —  Mr.  Whittemore's  views  of  them. 

Ix  August,  Mr.  Whittemore  is  called  again  into  New  Hamp- 
shire to  attend  the  Rockingham  Association.  In  company 
with  Rev.  Abel  C.  Thomas  of  Philadelphia,  he  went  to 
Haverhill,  where  Mr.  Thomas  was  to  preach ;  and,  leaving 
him  there,  passed  on  to  Kensington,  where  he  preached  on 
Sunday.  "A  large  congregation,"  he  writes,  "listened  to 
the  services,  among  whom  many  of  other  denominations  were 
seen.  The  orthodox  deacon,  a  venerable  gentleman  of  nearly 
fourscore,  received  me  cordially  to  his  house,  and  attended 
sen-ice,  bearing  witness  to  the  truth ;  and  his  consort,  bowed 
down  with  age,  was  prevented  only  by  inability.  She  took 
me  by  the  hand  and  wished  me  God-speed,  and  prayed  the 


64  MEMOIR  OF 

Lord  to  guide  me  by  his  spirit  to  declare  his  truth  to  man- 
kind. On  Sunday  evening,  I  passed  over  to  Exeter,  aud 
preached  to  a  full  house,  Brother  T.  K.  Taylor,  now  located 
there,  assisting  me  in  the  service.  Brother  Thomas  joined 
me  from  Haverhill.  On  Monday,  we  passed  on  to  Ports- 
mouth ;  visited  Brother  King  and  some  of  his  society.  Met 
Brothers  C.  Gardner  and  G.  Noyes.  Brother  Thomas  preached 
with  much  power  in  the  evening.  We  enjoyed  a  Gospel  feast. 
After  public  service,  we  repaired  to  the  house  of  a  friend,  and 
tarried  until  midnight,  singing  the  praises  of  God.  On  Tues- 
day, we  all  started  (Brother  Gardner  excepted) ,  for  the  Rock- 
ingham  Association  at  Nottingham." 

This  meeting  of  the  Association  was  one  of  as  much 
interest  as  any  that  had  preceded  it.  Services  were  held  in 
the  spacious  old  meeting-house,  and  were  attended  by  large 
congregations,  particularly  on  the  second  day.  Eight  ser- 
mons were  preached.  The  Occasional  Sermon  by  Rev.  S. 
Streeter  of  Boston  was  one  of  his  happiest  efforts.  It  ap- 
peared afterwards  in  the  Trumpet,  and  might  be  read  with 
profit  at  the  present  time.  A  circumstance  mentioned  by 
Mr.  Whittemore,  served  to  cast  a  shadow  upon  the  meeting. 
"One  of  the  esteemed  friends  of  our  cause,  Colonel  Joseph 
Cilley,  was  confined  to  his  bed,  in  a  very  distressing  condi- 
tion, from  sickness  occasioned  by  a  wound  received  on  the 
frontiers  in  the  last  war,  and  of  which  he  has  never  since 
been  fully  well.  He  resided  near  the  meeting-house  and  was 
visited  by  as  many  of  the  brethren  as  he  was  able  to  see. 
Prayers  ascended  to  heaven  for  his  recovery,  for  the  sake  of 
his  family,  the  town  in  which  he  resides,  and  the  cause  he  has 
espoused." 

On  his  return  home  Friday,  Mr.  Whittemore  found  that 
the  worthy  companion  of  Rev.  L.  R.  Paige  of  Cambridgeport, 
had  departed  this  life  during  his  absence. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  65 

In  September,  he  was  present  at  the  General  Convention 
in  Stratford,  Vt.,  its  forty-eighth  yearly  session.  On  his  way 
to  Vermont,  he  preached  in  Athol,  Mass.,  in  the  Town  Hall. 
The  description  of  his  ride  to  Claremont  we  give  in  his  own 
words.  "From  Keene  it  was  a  delightful  ride.  Nothing 
can  surpass  the  richness  of  the  scenery.  The  first  view  I  had 
of  Connecticut  River  as  I  descended  the  Cheshire  turnpike 
to  its  banks,  threw  into  the  shade  all  that  I  had  ever  con- 
ceived of  Eden.  At  the  head  of  the  landscape  stood  the 
mighty  Ascutue}-,  which  seemed  to  be  presiding  over  a  family* 
of  hills  around.  The  river  meandered  through  the  richest 
meadows  and  fields  in  the  highest  state  of  cultivation.  The 
tillage  lands  were  gray  with  their  ripened  crops  ;  the  mowing 
and  pasturage  were  dressed  in  their  liveliest  green  ;  beautiful 
buildings  gave  variety  to  the  scene  ;  a  clear  sun  crowned  the 
entire  view  with  glory.  The  whole  was  one  of  the  grandest 
prospects  I  ever  enjoyed.  I  know  not  what  to  call  the  feel- 
ing with  which  such  a  view  inspires  the  heart ;  but  it  was  but 
little  lessened  b}-  the  journey  to  Claremont  village.  Nature 
has  poured  down  her  riches  in  the  greatest  profusion  through 
all  this  region.  Claremont  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  towns 
in  New  England.  It  seems  almost  impossible  that  there 
could  be  more  attractive  farms  than  some  that  lie  within  and 
around  it.  At  sunset  I  reached  the  house  of  Brother  TVm. 
S.  Balch,  a  distance  of  sixty-two  miles  from  where  I  started 
in  the  morning." 

The  session  of  the  Convention  in  Stratford,  Vt.,  was  a  \ery 
harmonious  one.  An  alteration  in  the  character  of  the  Con- 
vention was  proposed  by  a  committee  chosen  to  report  on 
the  subject,  in  reference  to  which  further  action  was  deferred 
until  the  next  session.  Twenty-five  ministers  were  present. 
Six  services  were  holden  attended  by  large  congregations. 

5 


66  MEMOIR  OF 

Mr.  Whittemore  preached  on  the  last  afternoon  of  the 
session. 

The  meeting-house  erected  by  the  Universalists  of  Sippi- 
can,  in  Rochester,  Mass.,  was  dedicated  Oct.  11 ;  sermon 
by  Mr.  Whittemore. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Aug.  31,  1833,  there  appeared  an  edito- 
rial article  headed  "  Opposition  at  Danvers."  It  was  CM  lied 
out  by  an  attack  on  the  denomination  of  Universalists  by 
Rev.  Milton  P.  Braman,  a  clergyman  of  that  town.  The 
editor  of  the  Trumpet  solicited  him  to  give  his  discourse  to 
the  public,  offering  to  publish  it  in  his  paper  or  in  a  pamphlet 
without  expense  to  him ;  or,  if  more  agreeable,  an  oral  dis- 
cussion is  suggested  by  Mr.  "Whittemore. 

Mr.  Braman  replied  through  the  Boston  Recorder.  The 
result  of  the  correspondence  was,  that  the  relative  claims  of 
Universalism  and  the  dominant  orthodoxy  of  the  day  should 
be  discussed  by  Mr.  Braman  and  himself,  in  the  meeting- 
house occupied  by  the  parish  of  which  Mr.  Braman  was  pastor 
in  North  Danvers,  on  Thursday,  Oct.  31. 

The  question  for  discussion,  as  proposed  by  Mr.  Whitte- 
more, was,  whether  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery  is  revealed 
in  the  Holy  .Scriptures.  It  was  the  expressed  desire  of  Mr. 
Braman  that  there  should  be  two  distinct  propositions  for 
discussion,  —  first,  Will  any  of  the  human  race  be  punished 
after  death?  and  second,  Is  this  punishment  eternal?  To 
this  Mr.  Whittemore  objected,  saying,  "The  subject  of 
difference  between  you  and  me  is  not  whether  future  limited 
punishment  be  true,  for  you  do  not  believe  that  doctrine. 
The  two  opposing  doctrines  are  endless  miser}'  and  universal 
salvation.  You  hold  the  former,  and  I  the  latter.  I  propose 
to  discuss  the  question,  whether  the  former  doctrine  is 
revealed  in  the  Word  of  God,  and  no  other  question."  It  was 
furthermore  urged  by  Mr.  Whittemore  that  Mr.  Braman 


THOMAS   WUITTEMORE.  67 

should  pledge  himself  to  observe  in  the  discussion  the  rules 
of  propriety  and  decency,  without  which  the  proposed  debate 
would  be  worse  than  useless.  How  far  this  obligation  was 
adhered  to  on  the  part  of  the  latter  the  sequel  will  prove. 
Mr.  Braman  subsequently  proposed  to  limit  the  discussion  to 
an  hour  and  a  half,  a  suggestion  at  which  Mr.  Whittemore 
expressed  his  surprise  and  to  which  he  could  not  agree.  His 
final  proposal  was.  that  the  discussion  must  continue  until 
broken  off  b}'  mutual  consent.  So  much  time  was  taken  up 
in  adjusting  the  preliminaries  of  the  meeting,  that  another 
clay  was  appointed  for  it,  Wednesday,  Nov.  6,  at  nine  A.M. 

The  discussion  took  place  according  to  this  arrangement. 
The  moderators  mutually  chosen  were,  Rev.  A.  \V.  McClure 
of  Maiden,  Rev.  Sebastian  Streeter  of  Boston,  and  Rev.  E. 
Taylor,  the  seaman's  preacher,  of  Boston.  The  house  in 
which  the  discussion  took  place  was  a  large  brick  edifice  with 
spacious  galleries,  strengthened  by  additional  props  for  the 
occasion,  and  filled  above  and  below  in  the  morning,  and  with 
a  large  crowd  in  the  afternoon.  "NVe  present  a  statement  of 
the  day's  work  from  the  Trumpet. 

' '  The  sen-ices  were  introduced  by  a  fervent  and  appropri- 
ate prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor,  and  the  rules  were  read  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Streeter.  The  rules  were  in  substance  as  follows  : 
The  question  for  discussion  shall  be,  —  Is  the  doctrine  of  end- 
less misery  revealed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures?  The  discussion 
shall  commence  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  continue 
until  twelve  ;  to  be  resumed  at  two  and  continued  until  five  : 
the  discussion  to  be  commenced  by  Mr.  Braman,  and  the 
speakers  to  follow  each  other  alternately.  The  parties  shall 
observe  the  rules  of  fair  and  honorable  debate. 

"Mr.  Braman  opened  with  an  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  discussion  originated,  and  then  proceeded  to 
establish  in  the  way  most  satisfactory  to  himself,  • —  1st,  the 


68  MEMOIR   OF 

doctrine  of  punishment  in  the  future  state  ;  and,  2d,  the  end- 
less duration  of  that  punishment.  To  prove  the  doctrine  of 
future  punishment  he  relied  principally  on  Psalm  Ixxiii., 
and  on  Matt.  xi.  22,  '  It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 
and  Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  you  ; '  and  also 
on  John  xii.  48,  '  He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth  not 
my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him  :  the  word  that  I  have 
spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day.'  To  prove 
the  endless  duration  of  the  punishment,  he  adduced  the  Para- 
ble of  the  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus  (Luke  xvi.  19-31),  the 
passage  in  2  Thess.  i.  7-9,  and  the  Parable  of  the  Sheep  and 
Goats  (Matt.  xxv.  31-46).  In  answer,  I  endeavored  to  show 
that  these  passages  of  Scripture  had  no  just  reference  to  the 
subject  to  which  Mr.  Brarnan  had  applied  them ;  that  they 
were  not  originally  intended  to  have  such  a  reference ;  and 
the  true  meaning  of  the  passages  was  given,  so  far  as  time 
would  allow,  and  so  far  as  it  was  necessary  to  show  that  the}' 
afforded  no  support  to  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery.  In 
addition  to  this,  it  was  shown  by  a  great  variety  of  testimony, 
that  the  sacred  writers  taught  explicitly  the  doctrine  of  ulti- 
mate universal  salvation ;  and  if  this  glorious  doctrine  is 
revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery 
cannot  be  revealed.  No  small  share  of  Mr.  Braman's  time 
was  occupied  in  endeavoring  to  resist  the  force  of  this  tes- 
timony." 

A  full  and  fair  report  of  the  discussion  was  soon  afterwards 
published  by  Mr.  Whittemore  in  a  pamphlet  of  one  hundred 
pages.  A  much  smaller  one  of  thirty-six  pages  was  issued 
by  the  friends  of  Mr.  Braman,  in  which  the  most  important 
portions  of  the  debate  are  omitted.  The  arguments  of  Mr. 
Braman  were  the  most  fully  reported  in  the  pamphlet  i 
by  Mr.  Whittemore,  which  had  a  very  extensive  circulation. 

The  discussion  on  the  whole  was  highly  favorable  to  Uni- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  69 

versalism.  It  was  conducted  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
number  of  the  prominent  professors  and  defenders  of  the 
olden  Orthodoxy  of  New  England.  And  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  debate,  as  Mr.  Braman  failed  to  give  the  arguments  of 
Mr.  Whittemore  that  close  attention  which  they  evidently 
deserved,  the  latter  had  the  privilege  of  stating  and  urging 
with  great  earnestness  what  he  believed  to  be  the  Univer- 
salisin  of  the  New  Testament  before  many,  both  of  the  minis- 
try and  laity,  who  had  probably  never  heard  so  much  of  this 
primitive  Gospel  before.  He  deemed  it  a  rare  occasion,  and 
faithfully  improved  it. 

Of  course,  the  discussion  could  not  pass  off  without  elicit- 
ing some  sharp  criticism  on  the  part  of  those  who  sympa- 
thized with  Mr.  Braman.  Among  these,  we  find  a  writer  in 
the  Essex  North  Register  (supposed  to  have  been  Rev.  Dr. 
L.  AVithington,  of  Newburyport) ,  expressing  his  opinions  in 
reference  to  the  discussion,  after  having  read  a  report  of  it. 
He  professed  to  have  felt  much  sympathy  for  the  Universalist 
debater  through  the  discussion,  on  account  of  the  severe 
treatment  he  received  at  the  hand  of  his  vigorous  opponent. 
It  seemed  "  like  seeing  a  little  innocent  babe  mauled  and 
beaten  by  a  large  two-fisted  Irishman."  The  trumpeter,  he 
thought,  evidently  did  not  appear  at  his  best;  "  must  have 
had  the  toothache,  or  have  lost  his  sleep  the  night  before," 
or  have  had  a  cold,  and  have  been  "in  need  of  a  dose  of 
pennyroj-al  tea."  Unlucky  thrust  that !  for  it  only  calls  out 
the  keen  retort  of  Mr.  Whittemore :  "  This  seems  to  us  very 
much  like  folly.  The  comparison,  however,  is  tolerable  in 
one  particular,  wherein  Mr.  Braman  is  compared  to  the  Irish- 
man ;  for  we  thought  he  gave  us  bulls  enough  during  the  dis- 
cussion to  entitle  him  to  that  appellation.  As  to  the  supposed 
trouble  with  the  trumpeter,  he  regretted  that  the  mention  of 
it  compelled  him  to  make  a  statement  which  until  then  he  had 


70  MEMOIR   OF 

intended  to  conceal.  Mr.  Whittemore  went  to  Danvers  with 
the  fullest  confidence  in  the  cause  he  had  espoused.  He 
had  no  fears  to  make  him  indisposed.  But  Mr.  Bramau  was 
in  the  highest  state  of  excitement  when  Mr.  Whittemore 
arrived  at  his  house  on  the  morning  of  the  discussion.  We 
waited  for  him  until  nearty  nine  before  he  came  into  the  room, 
and  were  then  unable  to  account  for  his  absem'e.  But,  in 
conversation  with  an  Orthodox  clerg3~man  a  few  days  after- 
wards, we  learned  the  cause  of  his  non-appearance.  '  Mr. 
Braman,'  he  said,  '  came  so  near  fainting  three  times  that 
morning,  that  they  thought  they  should  not  be  able  to  keep 
him  on  his  feet.'  Whether  they  gave  him  any  pennjToyal  tea 
we  are  not  informed." 

In  justice  to  Mr.  Braman  it  may  be  said  that  he  had  probably 
had  but  little  experience  in  oral  debates.  He  was  an  excellent 
scholar,  a  chaste  and  classical  writer,  and  usually  preached 
written  sermons.  He  evident!}'  risked  a  good  reputation  as  a 
public  speaker  in  the  Dauvers  discussion.  As  Rev.  31  r. 
Streeter,  one  of  the  Moderators  at  the  debate,  afterwards 
wrote  of  it:  "It  was  a  matter  of  surprise  to  myself  and  to 
many  others  that  he  should  have  risked  the  high  reputation 
which  public  opinion  had  awarded  him  as  a  polemic,  in  a  con- 
test in  which  his  tongue  must  take  the  place  of  his  pen.  But, 
all  things  considered,  it  is  not  a  subject  of  regret.  The  re- 
sults of  the  whole  debate  will,  I  am  confident,  be  highly 
favorable  to  the  cause  which  he  labored  to  destroy." 

A  "Journey  of  a  Week"  is  recorded  in  the  Trumpet  of 
Nov.  20.  Mr.  Whittemore,  in  company  with  Ri-v.  L.  R. 
Paige,  vi.silt.-d  Franiingham,  Wortvster,  Spencer,  and  Brook- 
field.  On  the  succeeding  Sunday.  Mr.  Whittemore  pivut-hcxl 
in  Ware  Village ;  and,  on  Monday,  passed  over  to  Webster, 
where  he  preached  in  the  parish  meeting-house,  both  forenoon 
and  afternoon.  The  minister  of  the  parish,  Rev.  Mr.  Fitch, 


THOMAS    WIIITTEMORE.  71 

was  sorely  displeased  that  the  parish  committee  had  allowed 
this  privilege  to  the  Uiriversalists  ;  so  much  so,  that  he  avowed 
his  determination  to  ask  his  dismission  as  the  pastor  there,  if 
the  house  was  thus  used.  Being  asked  by  some  Universalists 
why  he  made  this  vow,  his  reply  was,  "  Because  you  are  going 
to  hell,  and  are  getting  all  you  can  to  follow  you."  The  persons 
addressed,  however,  were  not  able  to  see  what  relevancy  the 
answer  had  to  the  subject ;  for  if  Universalism  were  as  bad  as 
he  supposed  it,  and  was  evidently  coming  into  his  parish,  it 
would  seem  to  be  his  bounden  duty  to  stay  there  and  en- 
deavor to  prevent  its  growth.  In  reference  to  the  vow,  Mr. 
"\Vhittemore  remarked,  "It  is  made,  and  cannot  be  recalled  ; 
and  it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  reverend  gentleman  will 
ask  his  dismission  accordingly,  or  break  his  vow.  We  hope 
to  be  informed  on  this  subject.  Forty  men  once  bound  them- 
selves by  an  oath  that  the}*  would  neither  eat  nor  drink  until 
they  had  killed  Paul.  They  must  either  have  starved  to 
death,  or  else  they  all  broke  the  oath;  for  they  did  not  kill 
Paul." 

On  Tuesday- ,  Mr.  TVhittcmore  preached  in  Brimfield ;  and 
on  Wednesdaj*  morning  proceeded  to  Spencer,  to  attend  the 
dedication  of  the  new  Universalist  Meeting-house  in  that  place. 
The  day  was  very  pleasant,  and  a  large  congregation  was  in 
attendance.  Rev.  L.  S.  Everett  preached  the  Dedication 
Sermon  ;  Mr.  Whittemore  made  the  Occasional  Prayer,  and 
preached  in  the  evening. 

The  Boston  Association  held  its  annual  session  in  Glou- 
cester. Dec.  4.  Mr.  AVhittemore  preached  at  the  evening 
service,  and  was  appointed  by  the  Association  to  write  its 
Circular  Letter.  In  it  he  appeals  to  the  societies  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Association  to  send  their  delegates  to  its  meet- 
ings. "  It  is  not  pleasant  to  the  clergy  to  be  left  to  do  all  the 
business  themselves :  they  always  desire  the  presence  and 


72  MEMOIR   OF 

advice  of  their  lay  brethren ;  and  they  hope  that  the  consti- 
tutional number  of  lay  delegates  will  hereafter  be  sent  by 
each  societ}-.  It  betokens  a  promising  state  of  things  when 
the  members  of  our  societies  are  attentive  to  the  concerns  of 
the  denomination,  and  the  clergy  are  not  left  to  transact  the 
business  for  themselves." 

About  this  tune  Mr.  Whittemore  had  occasion  to  bestow 
special  attention  on  another  opponent  of  the  Universalist  faith, 

—  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke,  then  of  Ware,  afterwards  of  Lynn, 
Mass.     Mr.  Whittemore  had  published  a  tract  entitled,  "  One 
Hundred  Arguments  for  Universalism,"  and  Mr.  Cooke  had 
issued  a  pamphlet  in  reply  to  it.     Mr.  Whittemore  expressed 
Ms  satisfaction  at  the  appearance  of  the  pamphlet,  because  it 
would  call  public  attention  to  the  controversy  between  Uni- 
versalists  and  their  opponents,  and  tend  to  give  the  subject 
importance   in   the   minds   of  people  who  had  thought  but 
little  of  it  before.     He  took  up  the  examination  of  the  pam- 
phlet in  the  columns  of  the  Trumpet  from  week  to  week,  and 
very  closely  and  fairly  answered  the  statements  of  Mr.  Cooke 
against  the  "One  Hundred  Arguments."     The  examination 
was  afterwards  issued  in  pamphlet  form. 

In  August,  1834,  Mr.  Whittemore  attended  the  Rocking- 
ham  Association,  held  in  East  Kingston,  N.H.  He  gives  a 
particular  account  of  his  visit,  in  an  editorial  letter  to  Rev. 
A.  C.  Thomas,  in  the  Trumpet  of  Sept.  6.  He  preached  on 
the  Sunday  previous  in  Kensington,  where  he  met  for  the  first 
time  William  C.  Hanscom,  afterwards  in  the  ministry,  lie 
then  visited  Portsmouth  and  Exeter.  The  meetings  :it  Kast 
Kingston  he  describes  as  among  the  happiest  he  had  ever 
known.  Seven  sermons  were  preached  during  the  two  days, 

—  the  last  one  by  him.     A  ven-  interesting  conference  con- 
cluded the  meetings.      It  was  "a  painful  parting"  on  Frida}' 
morning,  as  he  writes. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  73 

In  September,  he  attended  the  General  Convention,  held  at 
Albany,  N.Y.  ;  preaching  on  his  way  in  Chicopee  Village, 
Springfield,  Mass.  The  session  of  the  Convention  was  one 
of  much  interest,  and  was  largely  attended.  Mr.  Whittemore 
gives  an  account  of  it  in  an  editorial  letter  to  Rev.  Thomas 
F.  King.1  The  Universalist  Historical  Societ}~  was  formed  at 
this  session.  The  Convention  adjourned  to  meet  in  Hartford, 
Ct.,  and  to  have  the  session  noted  as  the  fiftieth  anniversary, 
or  Jubilee,  of  the  General  Convention. 

After  his  return  from  the  General  Convention,  he  visited 
Northern  New  Hampshire.  On  his  way,  he  preached  in  X en- 
Market,  and  on  Sunday  in  Epping.  A  lecture  had  been 
appointed  for  him  at  West  Rumney ;  but  the  weather  proving 
unpropitious,  a  praise  and  conference  meeting  was  held  at  the 
home  of  Mr.  Robert  Morse,  where  he  found  other  ministers 
and  a  circle  of  friends  eager  to  greet  him.  From  thence  a 
number  of  the  party  went  to  Piermont,  —  twenty  miles  dis- 
tant, —  and  attended  the  annual  session  of  the  Grafton  Asso- 
ciation. Seven  ministers  preached,  Mr.  Whittemore  among 
them.  He  also  went  over  the  river  to  Bradford,  Vt.,  and 
preached  there  to  a  large  congregation  in  the  Academy.  All 
the  meetings  were  well  attended.  Mr.  Whittemore  returned 
to  West  Rumney  on  Friday,  where  a  conference  meeting  was 
held,  at  which  Rev.  D.  D.  Smith  preached.  Mr.  Whittemore 
spent  the  next  Sunday  in  Wentworth,  where  he  spoke  to  a  large 
congregation,  notwithstanding  it  was  a  rain}*  day.  He  tarried 
here  with  Hon.  Caleb  Keith,  an  aged  and  steadfast  friend  to 
the  cause  of  the  Gospel.  On  Sunday  evening,  he  preached  in 
Wfst  Rumney ;  and,  on  his  way  home,  in  Haverhill,  Mass. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  Boston  Association.  Nov.  4, 
in  Acton,  Mass.,  he  preached  the  Occasional  Sermon. 
1  Trumpet,  Sept.  27,  1834. 


74  MEMOIR   OF 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Dec.  13,  the  editor  takes  occasion  to 
notice  a  criticism  made  by  a  ministering  brother  whom  he 
deeply  loves,  respecting  undue  zeal  on  the  part  of  Universal- 
ists.  It  was  Rev.  I.  D.  Williamson,  who,  in  the  Albany  Uni- 
versalist  Journal,  commending  true  Christian  zeal,  expresses 
some  fear  that  Universalists  may  indulge  in  a  zeal  not  accord- 
ing to  knowledge.  He  thinks  he  has  seen  an  indication  of 
this  in  accounts  which  have  reached  him  of  the  meetings  of 
the  late  session  of  the  Rockingham  Association  in  East 
Kingston.  Mr.  Williamson  had  read  of  "  shouting  praises " 
there,  and  reprobates  the  practice  of  crying  "Amen!" 
"Glory!"  Mr.  Whittemore  defends  the  East  Kingston 
meeting,  avers  that  it  was  an  orderly  one,  and  that  he  heard 
no  extravagant  shoutings  of  "  Amen !  "  there  ;  although  there 
were  those  who  made  that  utterance  during  the  conference 
exercises.  He  sustains  from  the  Old  Testament  the  shouting 
for  joy  on  the  part  of  those  who  love  the  Lord.  "Paul." 
said  he,  "recommended  plainness  in  preaching,  that  the  un- 
learned might  understand  and  say  '  Amen  ! ' '  As  for  him- 
self, he  has  no  objection  whatever  to  these  responsive  words 
on  proper  occasions.  He  fears  no  danger  that  the  zeal  of 
Universalists  will  go  too  far,  but  thinks  they  need  more  of 
the  prudent  but  effective  kind. 

As  this  subject  ma}-  again  come  up  for  consideration  in  this 
Memoir,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  notice  it  here  a  little  more  at 
length.  Mr.  Whittemore's  convictions  as  to  the  need  of 
religious  meetings,  where  ministers  and  the  lait}r  could  unite 
in  the  exercises  of  praise,  prayer,  and  exhortation,  were  very 
strong.  He  deemed  such  assemblings  of  great  import  a  nee 
with  Universalists  :  and,  while  there  were  those  of  his  brethren 
whom  he  highly  honored  who  questioned  the  utility  of  them, 
he  was  desirous  of  giving  his  testimony,  by  word  and  praetiee. 
in  their  favor.  Not  only  in  his  weekly  journal,  but  in  his 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  75 

private  correspondence,  about  this  time,  he  expressed  himself 
with  great  warmth,  and  even  with  enthusiasm  (which  he  and 
others  deemed  justifiable),  on  the  subject.  Writing  to  a 
ministering  brother  in  Xew  Hampshire,  not  long  after  the 
meeting  at  East  Kingston,  he  says:  "  I  never  shall  forget 
that  meeting.  I  bless  God  for  that  week;  the  happiest,  it 
seems  to  me,  that  I  ever  enjoyed.  If  there  ever  was  a  heaven 
on  earth,  we  had  it  there.  I  can  make  nobody  here  realize 

it.  On  my  way  home,  I  stopped  at  Brother 's,  and  gave 

him  an  account  of  the  meeting,  and  he  called  it  Methodism 
and  enthusiasm !  Heavens !  let  me  always  have  such  en- 
thusiasm. It  is  no  doubt  the  feeling  that  angels  have  around 
the  throne  of  God.  It  is  a  prelibation  of  heaven,  a  foretaste 
of  the  glories  of  the  eternal  world.  What  raised  us  up  to 
that  height  of  enjoyment  ?  The  fact  is,  we  went  there  to  give 
up  all  to  the  influences  of  the  Gospel.  Every  one  felt  free : 
there  was  no  restraint,  no  holding  back,  except  in  me,  for  I 
was  obliged  at  times  to  repress  my  feelings :  I  did  not  wish 
to  set  the  example  of  being  too  highly  transported.  But  if 
we  were  not  above  the  people  in  our  feelings,  then,  God  bless 
them,  they  must  have  gone  away  happy.  ...  I  have  had 
faith  for  fifteen  years :  it  is  full-grown  now ;  it  has  wings, 
and  takes  me  farther  up  than  I  have  gone  before.  I  want  all 
Universalists  to  be  truly  and  deeply  religious.  Why  ma}'  not 
each  house  of  ours  be  a  house  of  God  ?  " 

The  ordination  of  Rev.  William  C.  Hanscom  took  place  at 
Lamprey  River  (New  Market,  N.H.),  on  Feb.  8,  1835.  The 
services  were  largely  attended,  and  Mr.  Whittemore  preached 
on  the  occasion. 

Among  the  reformatory  questions  which  claimed  the  atten- 
tion of  Mr.  Whittemore  in  these  years  was  that  of  the  aboli- 
tion of  capital  punishment.  In  the  Trumpet  of  March  1st,  he 
notices  the  execution  of  a  youth  at  Newburyport  for  arson. 


76  MEMOIR   OF 

After  presenting  the  case  itself,  and  the  scenes  attending  the 
execution,  he  concludes  by  saying :  ' '  The  question  should  be 
very  seriously  pondered  by  every  member  of  the  community, 
•whether  capital  punishments  are  justifiable  in  any  case.  If 
they  are  not  justifiable,  then  every  instance  of  capital  punish- 
ment is  a  murder.  If  the  State  has  made  a  mistake  in  this 
matter,  it  has  made  a  fatal  mistake,  one  that  can  never  be 
repaired.  The  question  of  policy  must  not  come  in  until  that 
of  principle  is  first  settled;  viz.,  whether  it  is  right  for  a 
community  to  take  the  life  of  a  helpless  man.  We  shall  say 
more  on  this  subject  in  future." 

His  interest  in  the  temperance  reform  also  led  him  to  speak 
plainly  on  what  he  considered  some  of  the  errors  of  its  lead- 
ing advocates.  In  a  missionary"  report  published  this  }"ear  he 
notices  the  sectarian  turn  given  by  the  writer  to  this  reform. 
"Unitarians,  Universalists,  and  Roman  Catholics,"  are  spo- 
ken of  as  having  come  into  orthodox  churches  through  a  re- 
vival which  had  been  preceded  by  a  temperance  reformation. 
Mr.  Whittemore  protests  against  this  indiscreet  language, 
and  avers  that  he  cannot  in  conscience  work  with  men  in  a 
cause  which  ought  to  be  free  from  sectarianism  while  they 
persist  in  such  an  unwise  and  perverse  course.  "  If  our 
brethren  who  are  orthodox,"  says  he,  "  can  join  us  in  truly 
temperance  measures,  and  leave  their  sectarian  dogmas  out 
of  consideration,  we  shall  be  happy  to  go  with  them ;  but 
if  not,  if  they  are  determined  to  make  temperance  socu'tu>s 
sectarian  engines,  we  shah1  leave  them  and  form  temperance 
societies  of  our  own.  They  have  already  injured  the  temper- 
ance cause  in  this  way  more  than  they  are  aware  of;  and  we 
entreat  them  to  pursue  a  different  line  of  conduct." 

In  June  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  visits  Maine.  Preach- 
ing at  Brunswick  on  the  Sabbath  through  the  day,  and  at 
Topsham  village  in  the  evening ;  and  delivering  a  temperance 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  77 

lecture  on  Monda}-  evening  in  the  Orthodox  church  at  Bruns- 
wick, to  a  very  large  audience,  including  the  professors  and 
students  of  the  college,  —  he  proceeded  to  Bowdoinham  to  at- 
tend the  Maine  Convention.  The  session  was  a  bus}'  one,  and 
the  public  religious  services  were  attended  by  a  large  con- 
course of  people. 

"On  the  last  day,"  writes  Mr.  Whittemore,  "every  pew 
and  avenue  in  the  house  was  crowded ;  but  there  was  the 
most  devout  attention.  It  was  from  beginning  to  end  a  season 
of  holy  feeling,  of  Christian  triumph  and  joy."  Mr.  AVhitte- 
more  afterwards  wrote  to  a  friend,  of  the  Convention  :  "  The 
sen-ices,  so  far  as  I  can  rightly  speak  of  them,  were  rich  in 

Gospel  truth  and  feeling.     G ,  who  never  made  me  shed 

tears   before,  caused  me   to  weep   freely.     Excellent  man ! 

T and  A preached  excellent  sermons.     And  most  of 

the  preaching  in  its  practical  appeals  was  to  me,  for  I  was 
the  most  guilty  one  there.  Who  is  under  greater  obligation, 
and  yet  less  thankful  ?  *  Oh  for  grace  our  hearts  to  soften  ! ' 
.  .  .  The  unhapp}'  mariner  whose  ship  is  locked  up  amidst 
floating  mountains  of  ice,  and  who,  as  far  as  his  eye  can 
reach,  sees  no  avenue  of  escape,  must  feel  something  as  I  do 
at  tunes  when  I  see  the  coldness  of  many  Universalists.  I 
want  to  get  away  from  this  ice.  We  must  have  a  new  state 
of  things.  Awake,  ye  sleepers !  Come,  Lord,  with  Thy 
quickening  power  upon  us ! "  A  reminiscence  of  this  Con- 
vention is  given  by  Rev.  E.  G.  Brooks,  D.D.,  who  was  pres- 
ent at  the  meetings,  and  thus  describes  the  last  one,  when 
Mr.  Whittemore  preached:  "The  day  was  beautiful.  The 
house  was  packed.  A  daughter  of  Father  Barnes  and  a 
brother  of  Elhanan  Winchester  were  present.  Every  thing 
conspired  deeply  to  affect  the  preacher,  and  to  put  him  into 
his  best  condition.  The  theme  was,  '  Jesus  and  the  Resur- 
rection,' —  a  familiar  and  favorite  one  with  him  ;  and,  unfold- 


78  MEMOIR    OF 

ing  it  he  warmed  and  rose  with  it,  taking  us  upward  with 
him,  until,  at  an  appointed  place,  the  two  representatives  of 
the  departed  patriarchs  stood  up  amidst  the  people.  No  man 
knew  better  than  he  how  to  use  such  material  as  was  thus 
furnished ;  and,  as  he  addressed  the  standing  ones,  recount- 
ing what  the  Fathers  had  done  and  suffered,  and  apostro- 
phizing them  in  their  ascended  life,  wearing  the  crowns  they 
had  so  nobly  won,  the  whole  assembly  was  dissolved  iu 
tears,  and  he  swayed  us  as  a  forest  is  swayed  in  the  wind." l 

After  the  Convention,  he  returned  to  Brunswick,  where  he 
had  engaged  to  lecture  on  Friday  evening.  The  Baptist 
Society  had  generously  offered  the  use  of  their  house  for  the 
occasion,  but  so  intense  was  the  opposition  of  their  minister 
to  the  course,  that  he  threatened  to  leave  the  town  if  the 
meeting  was  held  according  to  this  appointment.  For  the 
sake  of  peace,  the  Universalists  chose  to  occupy  their  own 
house,  although  it  was  small.  It  was  filled  and  running  over. 
The  temperance  address  on  the  previous  Monday  evening  had 
left  a  very  strong  impression  in  the  place.  From  Brunswick 
he  went  to  Yarmouth  and  Westbrook,  and  gave  an  evening 
lecture  hi  Saccarappa  village.  The  succeeding  Sabbath  was 
spent  in  Portland,  where  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  the 
Universalist  church,  of  which  Rev.  M.  Rayner  was  pastor.  On 
Wednesday,  July  8,  he  preached  the  sermon  at  the  dedication 
of  the  new  meeting-house  in  West  Haverhill,  Mass. 

In  reply  to  a  statement  which  had  been  made  by  one  or 
two  orthodox  journals,  that  Mr.  Whittemore  was  an  enemy 
to  Dr.  Beecher,  he  makes  these  remarks:  "When  the 
Trumpet  was  commenced  in  1828,  we  know  that  some  consid- 
erable attention  was  paid  to  Dr.  Beecher,  particularly  by  one 
or  two  correspondents.  We  certainly  had  no  rancorous  feel- 
1  Universalist  Quarterly,  July,  1877. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  79 

ing  towards  him,  as  the  Doctor  himself  will,  we  believe,  cheer- 
fully confess.  The  Doctor  and  the  editor  of  the  Trumpet  in 
days  past  have  had  several  very  pleasant  interviews  :  we  have 
prayed  together ;  we  have  conversed  on  the  subject  of  relig- 
ion ;  and  though  at  the  last  we  differed  greatly  in  our  views, 
yet  we  separated  in  kindness  and  wished  each  other  well. 
We  maintain  the  same  feeling  toward  the  Doctor  still ;  and 
we  do  protest  most  seriously  against  being  called  his  enemy." 
The  anniversary  of  the  Rockingham  Association  took  place 
this  season  at  Deerfield,  N.H.  Mr.  Whittemore  attended, 
and  gave  a  particular  account  of  it.  He  preached  in  Ken- 
sington the  Sabbath  previous,  and  visited  Portsmouth  on  his 
way  to  the  Association.  It  was  a  meeting  to  him  and  to 
many  others  of  unusual  enjoyment.  He  writes :  "  If  ever 
pure  felicity  was  vouchsafed  to  mortals  on  earth,  we  felt  it 
there.  It  begun  with  the  beginning  of  the  services,  and 
increased  through  the  whole.  No  heart  seemed  to  be  un- 
touched. Those  who  had  been  delivered  from  the  fetters  of 
the  doctrine  of  endless  wrath,  and  who  had  heretofore  been 
led  to  believe  that  there  was  little  or  no  zeal  and  devotion 
among  Universalists,  were  surprised.  They  found  their  for- 
mer prejudices  to  have  been  ah1  wrong.  They  could  sing 
their  Christian  songs  with  increased  pleasure,  and  realize  to 
the  fullest  extent  the  force  of  the  hopeful  words  which  they 
chanted."  "  At  the  close  of  the  services  in  Deerfield,"  he 
writes,  "  several  of  the  brethren  proceeded  about  twenty 
miles  to  Lamprey  River,  where  a  lecture  by  Rev.  A.  C. 
Thomas  had  been  appointed.  The  congregation  thronged 
the  house  in  every  part.  It  was  a  glorious  meeting."  Mr. 
Thomas  preached  in  Portsmouth  on  Friday  evening,  and  Mr. 
Whittemore  was  with  him.  A  very  large  congregation 
attended.  Mr.  Whittemore  spent  the  subsequent  Sabbath  in 
Sandown. 


80  MKM01R    OF 

The  "Jubilee"  session  of  the  United  States  Convention 
was  held  in  Hartford,  Ct.,  this  year.  Mr.  Whittemore  was 
present.  The  business  meetings  were  held  in  the  hall  of  the 
House  of  Representatives.  The  principal  subjects  of  debate 
were,  —  the  expediency  of  establishing  a  theological  seminary 
by  the  Universalists  of  the  United  States,  and  the  need  of 
seeking  by  all  proper  and  laudable  means  to  abolish  the 
odious  practice  of  capital  punishment.  Six  discourses  were 
delivered.  The  Occasional  on  the  first  day  was  by  Rev.  S. 
R.  Smith  of  Clinton,  N.Y.,  and  was  a  sermon  of  rare  ability 
and  impressiveness.  Mr.  "Whittemore  writes  :  "  It  is  almost 
impossible  to  speak  of  it  in  terms  of  exaggerated  praise.  It 
was  profound,  solemn,  animated,  instructive."  More  than 
eighty  ministers  were  present.  A  very  able  report  on  the 
subject  of  Capital  Punishment  was  made  to  the  Convention 
and  laid  over  for  final  action  at  its  next  session. 

At  the  session  of  the  Boston  Association  in  Stoughton  in 
November,  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  a  sermon. 

The  new  meeting-house  in  West  Rumney,  N.H.,  was  dedi- 
cated on  the  18th  of  November.  A  two  days'  meeting  was 
held.  The  dedicatory  services  were  on  the  first  day ;  the 
sermon  by  Rev.  John  G.  Adams,  then  residing  in  that  place. 
Mr.  Whittemore  preached  during  the  meeting.  On  Thursday 
evening,  a  meeting  for  social  conference  was  held  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Robert  Morse.  Of  this  meeting  Mr.  Whittemore 
writes  :  "  Our  aged  and  venerable  father  Keith  addressed  us 
and  warmed  our  hearts  by  his  exhortations.  A  young  <jvu- 
tleman  recently  converted  from  infidelity  to  Christianity  bore 
testimony  in  a  very  impressive  manner  to  the  value  of  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  A  lady  of  the  Baptist  Church  ad- 
dressed the  women  present  on  their  Christian  obligations  and 
duties." 

In  December,  we  find  Mr.  Whittemore  at  meetings  in  New 


THOMAS    WHITTEUORE.  81 

Hampshire.  He  is  present  at  the  forming  of  the  Strafford 
County  Association,  in  Dover.  Public  religious  services 
were  held  two  days  ;  five  sermons  were  preached  (including 
one  by  Mr.  AVhitteinore) ,  and  prayer  and  conference  meet- 
ings held.  After  the  meetings  here,  most  of  the  ministers 
repaired  to  Lampre}7  River,  where  a  Christmas  service  was 
held,  a  newly  formed  church  publicly  recognized,  and  the 
Lord's  Supper  observed.  Mr.  Whittemore  and  others 
preached,  and  the  meetings  were  full  of  interest.  Of  Mr. 
Whittemore's  preaching  on  this  occasion,  one  who  was  pres- 
ent has  written:  "A  double  portion  of  the  spirit  seemed  to 
be  upon  him.  We  felt  almost  as  if  we  were  in  the  very 
presence  of  the  apostles ;  and,  catching  the  warmth  of  his 
magnetic  fervor,  we  were  all  thrilled,  stirred,  uplifted,  as  it 
is  rare  for  any  congregation  to  be.  I  have  seldom  been  so 
rapt  in  listening  to  any  man,  and  do  not  remember  ever  to 
have  felt  myself  nearer  heaven  than  under  the  spell  of  his 
earnestness  in  that  memorable  hour." *  On  the  next  Sunday, 
Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  South  New  Market,  and  in  the 
evening  at  Exeter. 

The  public  recognition  of  the  church  connected  with  the 
First  Universalist  Society  in  East  Cambridge,  took  place  on 
the  evening  of  Jan.  1,  1836.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the 
sermon  on  the  occasion.  On  Sunday  evening,  the  llth  of  the 
same  month,  he  preached  the  sermon  at  the  installation  of 
Rev.  T.  F.  King  in  Charlestown. 

About  this  time,  there  appeared  in  one  of  the  denomina- 
tional journals  certain  fraternal  criticisms  of  the  "concerts 
of  praise,"  or  meetings  of  conference  and  prayer  and  praise, 
differing  from  the  ordinary  church  services  ;  a  renewal  of  the 

1  Rev.  E.  G.  Brooks,  D.D.,  Universalist  Quarterly,  July,  1877. 
6 


82  MEMOIR    OF 

controversy  on  the  same  subject  held  a  year  or  two  before. 
The  article  (by  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer)  seems  to  have  been 
called  forth  by  what  he  deemed  indications  of  an  extravagant 
zeal  on  the  part  of  certain  friends  and  advocates  of  these 
meetings.  Mr.  Whittemore  notices  these  remarks  as  one 
deeply  interested  in  the  subject.  Mr.  Sawyer  objects  to  the 
meetings,  because,  according  to  accounts  given,  indescribable 
emotions  were  awakened  there.  Mr.  Whittemore  replies  by 
asking  if  his  brother  never  realized  emotions  which  he  could 
not  describe,  and  refers  to  the  "joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory  "  of  which  Peter  speaks.  Then  the  meetings  were  con- 
sidered objectionable,  "  calculated  to  produce  religious  excite- 
ment," to  which  Mr.  Whittemore  replies :  "If  our  brother 
means,  by  religious  excitement,  religious  warmth,  zeal,  ear- 
nestness, we  bless  God  that  they  have  such  an  effect.  Rant 
we,  of  course,  do  not  approve.  But  on  the  great  subject  of 
salvation  by  Jesus  Christ,  how  can  any  one  be  cold?  We 
blame  no  one ;  but,  if  we  must  take  our  choice,  we  say,  Give 
us  the  feeling,  even  if  it  be  sometimes  a  little  extravagant, 
than  coldness  and  indifference  on  a  theme  like  this.  There 
is  no  extravagance  here  like  that  of  preaching  on  this  subject 
without  any  emotion."  To  the  truthful  and  strong  affirma- 
tion of  Mr.  Sawyer,  that  Universalists  should  be  really  the 
most  habitually  upright  of  all  Christians,  and  their  hearts 
' '  constantly  sending  up  the  incense  of  gratitude  and  love  to 
heaven,"  Mr.  Whittemore  responds  a  hearty  Amen,  and  con- 
cludes his  article  by  saving,  "  We  dread  frost  more  than  fire. 
From  the  beginning  until  of  late,  Universalists  have  been  in 
favor  of  pure,  warm,  ardent  feeling,  in  the  cause  of  religion. 
A  conference  meeting  has  been  held  every  week  by  the  First 
Universalist  Society  in  this  city  (Boston)  ever  since  the  days 
of  John  Murra}".  Shah1  they  now  abandon  it?  If  not,  why 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  83 

may  not  other  societies  follow  the  same  example  ?  Has  the 
meeting  bred  any  confusion  in  that  society?  No,  and  never 
will.  Let  us  avoid  dulness  and  indifference,  and  endeavor 
always  to  speak  and  act  on  the  subject  of  religion  with  sin- 
cerity, earnestness,  and  love." 1 

i  Trumpet,  March  26,  1836. 


84  MEMOIR  OF 


CHAPTER    V. 

1836-1840. 
AGED    36-40. 

Murray's  tomb  —  Mass  Convention  at  Wrentham —  New  musical  work 

—  Study  of  Harmony  —  Letter  to  a  friend  —  Songs  of  Zion  —  Con- 
vention   Sermon  —  Temperance  —  Ideas   of    Christ  —  Dedication   at 
Maiden  —  Rockingham  Association  at  Epping  ;   Dedication  —  U.S. 
Convention,  New  York  —  Dedication  in  Essex  —  Lowell  and  Exeter  — 
Installation  at  Phillipston  —  Rockingham  Association  at  Salem,  N.H. 

—  Installation  at  Nashua — Newton  Upper  Falls,  grove  meeting  — 
Mass.  Convention  at  Maiden  —  Removal  of  Murray's  remains  to  Mount 
Auburn  —  U.S.   Convention    at    Philadelphia  —  Washington,   Balti- 
more, Fredericksburg,  New  York  —  Extemporaneous  speaking — In- 
stallation at  Lamprey  River  —  Ministerial  education  —  Installation  at 
Methuen  —  Prosecution  of  Abner  Kneeland  —  Funeral  of  Rev.  W.  C. 
Hanscom  —  Dedication  at  Andover  —  Ministerial  education  again  — 
Rockingham  Association  at  South  Hampton  —  U.S.  Convention  at 
Boston  —  Creeds  —  R.  W.  Emerson's  Address  at  Cambridge  —  Ches- 
ter, N.H. —  Notice  of  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin  —  Religion  and  Common 
Schools — Worship  of  Christ — Nashua  —  Conference  at  Danvers  — 
To    believers    scattered  abroad  —  A   theological   institution  —  New 
Hampshire   Convention    at    Nashua  —  Rockingham    Association   at 
Hampstead — Death  of  Rev.  T.  F.  King — Dedication  at  Waltham  ; 
Monument    to    Hanscom — Fire  at  Cornhill — Self-sacrifice — Dedi- 
cation   at    South    Reading — Miller    excitement  —  Plain    Guide   to 
Universalism  —  Debate  with  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke  —  Progress  of  Uni- 
versalism  —  Editorial  independence. 

IN  May  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  with  others,  under 
the  direction  of  one  of  the  burial  officers  of  Boston,  went  to 
the  tomb  in  which  the  body  of  Rev.  John  Murray  was  depos- 
ited. The  examination  was  proposed  in  furtherance  of  the 
object  recommended  by  the  United  States  Convention  of  Uni- 


THOMAS   WU1TTEMORE.  85 

versalists  ;  viz.,  the  removal  of  the  remains  to  Mount  Auburn. 
Cemetery,  and  the  erection  of  a  suitable  monument  there. 
He  thus  records  the  visit:  "Mr.  Murray  was  entombed  on 
Monday,  Sept.  4,  1815,  in  the  vault  where  the  family  of 
Sargents  lie,  of  which  his  last  wife  was  a  member.  This 
tomb  is  in  the  Granary  Buying  Ground,  so  called  ;  lying 
between  Park  Street  Church  and  the  Tremont  House.  The 
coffin  in  which  the  preacher  was  buried  was  without  much 
difficulty  distinguished  from  the  rest.  First,  it  is  known 
from  the  records  in  the  office  of  the  Superintendent,  that  his 
bod}'  was  placed  in  that  tomb.  Second,  all  the  other  coffins 
were  recognized  as  being  those  of  other  individuals.  Third, 
the  coffin  containing  the  remains  of  Murray  is  known  by  its 
shape,  being  short  and  broad,  and  in  this  respect  different 
from  all  the  rest,  neither  of  the  others  being  suitable  for  a 
bod}'  formed  as  his  was.  Fourth,  a  lad}-  of  the  family  pres- 
ent at  the  funeral,  who  knew  not  where  Father  Murray's 
coffin  had  been  found  by  us,  stated  afterwards  that  at  the 
funeral  it  was  deposited  on  the  ground,  at  the  right  hand  as 
3rou  enter,  the  precise  place  where  the  coffin  we  mention 
lay."  1 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  met  this  year  on  June  1,  at 
Wrentham.  A  large  number  of  ministers  and  lay  delegates 
were  present,  and  the  sen  ices  were  attended  by  large  audi- 
ences. The  Occasional  Sermon  was  delivered  by  Mr.  AVhit- 
temore.  He  preached  the  sermon  from  full  manuscript ;  and 
it  was  plain-spoken,  timely,  and  effective. 

A  new  work  now  engages  the  preacher's  attention.  He 
has  always  been  a  lover  of  music,  and  for  many  years  has 
practised  it  vocally  and  instrumentally.  His  interest  in  it 
deepens.  He  enters  upon  the  study  of  harmony  as  a  science, 

1  Trumpet,  May  14,  1836. 


86  MEMOIR    OF 

under  the  direction  of  Professor  J.  Webb,  a  distinguished 
organist  of  Boston,  and  one  of  the  profoundest  harmonists  in 
New  England.  He  writes  to  a  friend  on  the  subject :  — 

"  In  addition  to  ray  customary  vocations,  which  are  numerous, 
I  am  taking  lessons  in  harmony  of  Professor  Webb,  of  the  Boston 
Academy.  It  is  an  herculean  task,  a  perplexity  to  have  the  head 
full  of  common  chords,  perfect  and  imperfect,  dominant  sevenths, 
imperfect  sevenths  (major  and  minor),  diminished  sevenths,  and 
dominant  ninths,  &c.  I  am  about  one-third  through  Catel's  splen- 
did treatise  on  'Harmony.'  What  is  it  all  for?  Shall  I  ever 
publish  a  book  ?  The  Professor  says  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  har- 
monize the  old  American  tunes,  generally  speaking.  I  can  discover 
many  errors  in  them  now  that  I  could  not  have  seen  six  months 
ago.  .  .  . 

"  Do  you  mean  to  study  harmony?  You  will,  I  know,  study 
harmony  in  the  moral  sense  of  the  word  ;  but  I  mean  as  a  musical 
science.  One  of  the  great  secrets  of  harmony  is  to  make  use  of 
discords  so  that  they  shall  terminate  agreeably  in  the  final  resolu- 
tions of  them.  He  who  knows  not  the  purpose  for  which  they 
are  used,  and  cannot  see  their  beautiful  terminations,  render- 
ing the  harmony  more  diversified,  and  the  common  chords  sweeter 
and  more  delighting,  never  can  know  why  discords  are  introduced, 
and  never  can  enjoy  them.  Universalists  understand  the  science 
of  God's  moral  harmony.  They  perceive  discords  in  the  moral 
world.  But  these  discords  are  not  used  without  rule  ;  they  are 
not  mistakes  in  the  great  Composer.  They  are  designed,  and  are 
all  according  to  the  infinite  Law  of  Wisdom.  How  beautiful  in 
their  resolutions  !  When,  in  the  progression  of  the  great  Oratorio, 
we  shall  slide  off  these  into  the  sweetest,  purest  sounds,  and  see  the 
reason  why  every  discord  has  been  used,  shall  we  not  like  the  har- 
mony the  better  for  it  ?  Shall  we  not  sing  the  '  Song  of  Muses  and 
the  Lamb  '  with  a  higher  zest  ?  Pope  had  this  idea  in  mind  when 
he  said,  — 

"Better  for  us,  perhaps,  it  might  appear, 
Were  there  all  concord  and  all  virtue  here ; 
That  never  air  or  ocean  felt  the  wind ; 
That  never  passions  discomposed  the  mind ; 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  87 

But  ALL  subsists  by  elemental  strife, 
And  passions  are  the  elements  of  life. 
The  general  ORDER  since  the  world  began 
Is  kept  in  nature  and  is  kept  in  man. 

"  Again  he  says,  —  and  I  never  realized  the  full  force  of  the  pas- 
sage before : — 

"  All  nature  is  but  art,  unknown  to  thee ; 
All  chance,  direction,  which  them  canst  not  see ; 
All  discord,  HARMONY  not  understood ; 
All  partial  evil,  universal  good. 

"It  is  so  !  Praise  the  Lord,  O  my  soul  ;  magnify  his  name  ! 
Glorify  Him  evermore  !  " 

Mr.  Whittemore  had  in  view  during  this  course  of  study  the 
publishing  of  a  new  book  of  church  music.  This  work  appeared 
before  the  close  of  this  year.  It  is  entitled  ' '  Songs  of  Zion  ; 
or,  the  Cambridge  Collection  of  Sacred  Music ;  designed  for 
Social  Meetings  of  Christians  and  for  Family  Worship."  It  was 
a  book  of  350  pages,  containing  a  rich  variety  of  tunes,  some 
from  the  best  of  the  American  authors ;  others,  European 
tunes  then  popular  in  this  country,  and  a  large  variety  of 
original  ones  which  had  never  appeared  in  any  work.  Quite 
a  number  of  the  tunes  were  composed  by  the  compiler,  and 
became  quite  popular  wherever  known.  One  notable  feature 
of  the  book  was, —  its  hymns  and  anthems  contain  no  utter- 
ance of  any  sentiment  not  in  accordance  with  the  faith  of  the 
Universalist  Church.  It  had  a  large  circulation,  and  was 
used  quite  extensively  in  churches  of  the  different  Christian 
sects. 

The  Occasional  Sermon,  preached  by  Mr.  Whittemore  before 
the  Massachusetts  Convention,  appeared  in  the  Trumpet  of 
June  25.  It  is  full  of  wise  direction  to  the  Christian  life,  and 
strong  appeals  to  those  for  whom  it  is  intended.  In  an  ex- 
hortation to  the  work  of  temperance,  he  says :  "  If  this  holy 


88  MEMOIR   OF 

cause  has  been  injured  on  the  part  of  others  by  an  indiscreet 
sectarianism,  this  is  no  reason  wh}'  Universalists  should  hesi- 
tate to  give  it  their  warmest  support.  The  evil  to  be  met  is 
a  common  and  deadly  one ;  and  we  are  but  carrying  out  the 
great  principles  which  the  order  of  Universalists  have  adopted 
to  reform  men,  by  using  our  utmost  endeavor  to  suppress  it." 
His  exhortation  to  zeal  is  emphatic.  He  cites  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments  to  show  how  it  is  there  commended  by  pre- 
cept and  example,  and  explains  most  clear !}•  how  essential  it 
is  to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  cause  represented  in 
the  Universalist  churches.  As  to  the  light  in  which  Christ  is 
to  be  regarded  by  Universalists,  he  sa}*s,  "  While  our  opinions 
differ  widely  from  the  sentiments  of  those  who  consider  Jesus 
to  be  the  supreme  God  ;  so,  on  the  other  hand,  the}'  differ  as 
much  from  the  sentiments  of  that  class  who  regard  him  only 
as  a  reformer,  —  like  Xenophon,  Socrates,  and  Plato.  AVith 
us,  Jesus  Christ  is  emphatically  the  Son  of  God,  in  a  sense  in 
which  no  mere  man  can  be  said  so  to  be.  He  stands  next  to 
the  Father  in  rank  and  dignity.  '  All  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him.'  He  is  the  Mediator  between  God  and  man, 
which  can  be  said  of  no  other  being.  All  power  in  heaven 
and  in  earth  was  committed  into  his  hands.  The  great  work  of 
redemption  was  entrusted  to  him.  He  shall  rule  in  the  media- 
torial kingdom  until  ever}*  creature  shall  submit  to  his  author- 
ity ;  and  then  he  shall  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  God  even 
the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all." 

The  newly  modelled  church  edifice  in  Maiden  was  dedicated 
June  24  :  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the  sermon.  On  the  21st 
of  July,  the  new  Uuiversalist  meeting-house  in  Methuen  was 
dedicated.  Mr.  AVhittt-more  preached  on  the  occasion.  This 
was  the  first  of  nine  Universalist  meeting-houses  erected  dur- 
ing the  year  by  Universalists. 

The  session  of  the  Rockingham  Association  was  held  this 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  89 

year  in  Epping,  N.H.,  commencing  on  the  31st  of  August. 
The  new  church  in  that  place  was  dedicated,  the  sermon 
being  preached  by  Mr.  Whittemore.  The  other  public  ser- 
vices during  the  meeting  of  the  Association  were  held  in  the 
town's  meeting-house.  "  It  was  judged,"  writes  Mr.  Whitte- 
more,  "from  an  estimate  made  at  the  time,  that  there  were 
1 ,200  persons  in  the  house.  Epping  never  saw  such  a  spectacle 
before.  It  became  impossible  for  the  visitors  to  obtain  ac- 
commodations adequate  to  their  needs  ;  and  some  were  obliged 
to  leave  town  on  this  account." 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  at  the  session  of  the  United 
States  Convention  this  season  in  New  York  city,  and  preached 
on  the  occasion.  There  was  a  very  large  attendance  of  minis- 
ters, and  the  session  was  one  of  deep  interest.  In  his  pub- 
lished account  of  his  visit  to  the  Convention,  he  pays  a  just 
tribute  to  the  work  of  a  brother  minister  in  New  York  city  at 
a.  time  when  the  cause  of  Universalism  had  been  seriously 
injured  by  the  defection  of  Mr.  Kneeland  and  his  successors. 
"  In  the  midst  of  this  state  of  things,  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Sawyer 
moved  there.  It  was  for  a  time  a  severe  struggle.  But  by  a 
judicious  course,  by  a  long  sacrifice  of  private  considerations, 
and  by  the  exercise  of  the  talents  he  so  eminentl}'  possesses, 
he  was  enabled  to  resuscitate  the  cause  when  others  pro- 
nounced it  dead.  The  two  societies  now  in  the  city  are  large 
and  flourishing." 

On  Wednesday,  Dec.  14,  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the  ser- 
mon on  the  occasion  of  the  dedication  of  the  new  meeting- 
house in  Essex,  Mass.  ;  and,  on  Feb.  11,  a  discourse  at  the 
installation  of  Rev.  Zenas  Thompson  as  pastor  of  the  Second 
Universalist  Society  in  Lowell.  On  the  1st  of  March,  the 
new  meeting-house  in  Marblehead  was  dedicated  ;  the  sermon 
by  Mr.  Whittemore.  On  the  16th  of  June  following,  Rev. 
James  Shrigle}"  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  united  societies 


90  MEMOIR    OF 

of  Epping  and  Exeter,  N.H.,  on  which  occasion  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  preached. 

At  the  last  of  June,  he  made  a  journey  by  private  con- 
veyance to  Phillipston,  Mass.,  where  a  small  but  zealous 
company  of  believers  in  the  Abrahamic  faith  had  built  a 
house  of  worship,  and  were  now  to  install  a  pastor,  —  Rev. 
Aurin  Bugbee.  The  installation  sen-ices  took  place  on 
Wednesday,  June  28  ;  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the  sermon. 

The  Rockingham  Association  held  its  session  this  year 
(1837)  in  Salem,  N.H.  The  meetings  were  well  attended, 
and  of  deep  interest.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present,  but  did 
not  preach.  Stirring  conference  meetings  were  held.  On 
Friday,  Sept.  2,  he  attended  the  installation  of  Rev.  A.  P. 
Cleverly,  at  Nashua,  N.H. ,  and  preached  the  sermon. 

On  Sunday,  Sept.  3,  he  preached  at  Newton  Upper  Falls, 
in  a  grove,  near  the  house  of  Mr.  Joshua  Gardner.  The  use 
of  every  church  or  place  of  worship  had  been  denied  the 
friends  of  Universalism  who  had  invited  the  preacher  to 
officiate.  An  awning  was  extended  under  the  trees,  and 
temporary  seats  were  erected,  so  that  more  than  six  hundred 
persons  were  accommodated.  The  speaker  was  at  his  best  on 
the  occasion,  and  delivered  two  discourses  of  some  length, 
enforcing  the  doctrinal  and  practical  claims  of  his  faith  upon 
attentive  listeners.  An  account  of  the  services  appeared  a 
week  afterward  in  the  Dedham  Patriot. 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  was  held  this  year  (1837) 
at  Maiden,  on  Wednesday,  June  7.  It  was  a  very  full  session, 
both  of  ministers  and  lay  delegates.  Two  ministers  wore 
ordained,  and  several  j'oung  men  received  letters  of  fellow- 
ship as  preachers.  The  Convention,  not  being  able  to  finish 
its  business  on  Wednesday,  adjourned  to  meet  in  Boston  on 
Thursday,  to  attend  the  removal  of  the  remains  of  Rev.  John 
Murray  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day.  The  event  took  place 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  91 

according  to  the  arrangements.  Public  services  were  observed 
in  the  First  Universalist  church,  on  Hanover  Street ;  the  re- 
mains being  placed  before  the  pulpit,  where  the  revered 
preacher  had  so  long  officiated.  Rev.  Sebastian  Streeter 
preached  a  very  appropriate  and  eloquent  discourse.  A  large 
procession  followed  the  hearse  to  Mount  Auburn,  where  Rev. 
Hosea  Ballou  delivered  a  very  impressive  address.  The  Con- 
vention adjourned  at  the  grave. 

The  session  of  the  United  States  Convention  was  held  this 
year  at  Philadelphia.  It  was  a  very  agreeable  and  harmonious 
one.  Eight  discourses  were  delivered ;  the  Occasional  by 
Mr.  Whittemore.  He  continued  his  journe}'  to  Washington, 
where  he  was  not  much  edified  by  the  acrimonious  debates  to 
which  he  listened  in  Congress.  On  his  return,  he  visited 
Baltimore,  and  attended  the  dedication  of  the  new  Universal- 
ist church,  and  the  installation  of  Rev.  L.  S.  Everett  as  the 
pastor,  in  that  city.  He  next  visited  Richmond  and  Fredericks- 
burg,  Va.  By  urgent  request,  and  at  very  short  notice,  he 
preached  in  the  last-named  place.  The  succeeding  Sunday 
he  passed  in  Philadelphia,  preaching  in  the  Lombard  Street 
church  in  the  morning,  and  in  the  Callowhill  Street  church  in 
the  evening.  On  his  way  home  he  spent  a  da}"  or  two  in 
New  York  city.  He  reckons  this  journey  of  a  thousand  miles 
"  among  the  pleasantest  events  of  his  life." 

Quite  a  debate  took  place  in  the  columns  of  the  Trumpet 
about  this  time,  on  the  subject  of  extemporaneous  preaching ; 
Mr.  Whittemore  advocating  it  strongly,  and  Rev.  Calvin 
Gardner  and  others  objecting  to  it  as  a  rule,  and  advising  the 
writing  of  sermons  and  preaching  them  with  the  use  of  the 
manuscript.  Good  points  were  made  on  either  side,  but 
the  controversy  ended  about  where  it  began.  None  of  the 
disputants  were  opposed  to  extemporaneous  preaching ;  but 
all  were  in  favor  of  it  where  the  preacher  could  do  most  jus- 


92  MEMOIR   OF 

tice  to  his  own  powers,  and  make  himself  most  useful  to  his 
hearers.  There  are  diversities  of  gifts  with  preachers,  and 
each  one  must  study  his  own  abilities,  and  take  the  course 
in  which  he  can  do  his  pulpit-work  with  the  greatest  advan- 
tage. Some  of  the  ablest  and  most  effective  Christian  minis- 
ters have  used  the  manuscript,  and  some  have  extemporized. 
The  subject,  although  not  quite  so  profound,  is  about  as 
interminable  in  the  hands  of  debaters  as  that  of  the  connec- 
tion of  the  Divine  Sovereignty  and  the  Human  Will. 

On  the  evening  of  Dec.  25,  Rev.  John  Harriman,  Jr.,  was 
installed  as  pastor  of  the  Universalist  Society  at  Lamprey 
River.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the  sermon.  In  the  Trum- 
pet of  March  24,  he  makes  a  strong  plea  for  a  more  thorough 
preparation  for  the  Universalist  ministry  than  many  of  those 
who  have  entered  it  have  been  able  to  make  for  themselves. 
"  We  greatly  need,"  he  writes,  "  an  institution  of  some  kind 
in  which  young  men  can  prepare  themselves,  under  the  help 
of  some  kind  teacher,  for  the  duties  of  the  rninistn*.  We  are 
suffering  in  Massachusetts  for  the  want  of  such  a  desideratum  ; 
but  when  we  shall  have  it  we  cannot  foresee.  There  are  in- 
dispensable studies  which  ought  to  be  pursued.  Mankind, 
with  few  exceptions,  are  apt  to  think  better  of  themselves 
than  they  ought  to  think.  Young  men  preparing  for  the 
ministry  are  easily  led  to  suppose  themselves  quite  well  quali- 
fied ;  and,  before  they  have  been  in  the  ministr}-  a  year,  judge 
themselves  competent  to  take  students  in  their  turn.  This, 
in  truth,  increases  the  number  of  our  preachers ;  but  does  it 
add  weight  and  respectability  and  influence  to  our  clergy  as 
a  body  ?  It  is  an  error  for  a  young  man  to  seek  a  settlement 
too  soon  :  it  frequently  is  the  cause  of  subsequent  disappoint- 
ment and  chagrin.  We  want  a  greater  number  of  well- 
instructed  preachers,  men  of  studious  habits,  cultivated  minds, 
winning  address,  who  will  always  seek  the  good  of  the  society 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  93 

or  societies  with  whom  they  are  located,  and  give  themselves 
•wholly  to  the  duties  of  their  calling.  Such  are  the  men  our 
cause  now  needs.  May  God  send  us  a  full  supply."  1 

On  Thursday,  April  19,  Rev.  Edward  N.  Harris  was  in- 
stalled as  pastor  of  the  Universalist  Society  in  Methuen, 
Ma.<s.  Mr.  AVhitternore  preached  the  sermon. 

It  was  in  this  month  that  the  case  of.Abner  Kneeland,  who 
had  been  indicted  for  blasphemy  under  an  ancient  and  obsolete 
statute  of  Massachusetts,  came  up  for  consideration.  As  Mr. 
Kneeland  had  formerly  been  connected  with  the  Universalist 
denomination,  and  had  caused  some  trouble  in  it  by  his  change- 
able and  sceptical  course,  it  was  supposed  by  some  that  Mr. 
AVhittemore  was  directly  or  indirectly  the  cause  of  his  indict- 
ment. But  he  takes  occasion  to  say:  '-We  solemnly  aver 
that  we  never  had  the  least  connection  with  it  in  any  way, 
and  that  we  have  regretted  from  the  beginning  that  the  in- 
dictment was  ever  found.  Leave  his  character  and  his  opin- 
ions to  be  settled  by  the  tribunal  of  reason  and  free  inquiry. 
Vie  agree  with  the  editor  of  Zions  Herald  in  hoping  that  a 
nominal  punishment  merel}'  will  be  decreed,  and  that  Mr. 
Kneeland  will  be  dismissed  from  the  court  to  repent  of  the 
error  of  his  ways,  and  to  mourn  for  the  folly  which  must  em- 
bitter the  evening  of  his  earthly  existence."  Subsequently 
Mr.  Kneeland  was  sentenced  to  sixty  days'  imprisonment. 
His  offence  was,  his  denial  of  a  belief  in  the  existence  of  an 
intelligent  Supreme  Being  whom  the  Christians  called  God. 
Mr.  AVhittemore  was  unable  to  see  how  the  imprisonment  of 
Mr.  Kneeland  for  this  offence  could  be  reconciled  with  the 
spirit  and  intent  of  the  second  article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights, 
which  declares  that  no  "  subject  shall  be  hurt,  molested,  or 
restrained  in  his  person,  libert}*,  or  estate  for  his  religious 
professions  or  sentiments." 

i  Trumpet,  March  24,  183& 


91  MEMOIR  OF 

On  Friday,  May  25,  the  funeral  of  Rev.  "W.  C.  Hanscom 
took  place  in  the  Unitarian  church  in  "Waltham,  Mass.  Mr. 
Hanscom  was  a  very  devoted  and  promising  young  minister, 
and  had  but  a  short  time  before  his  decease  been  installed  as 
pastor  of  the  Universalist  church  in  Waltham.  He  died  at 
Cambridgeport,  at  the  house  of  a  faithful  friend,  at  the  early  age 
of  twentj'-two  years  and  ten  months.  Mr.  Whittemore  took 
a  deep  interest  in  him,  especially  during  his  last  sickness, 
and  very  frequently  visited  him.  He  preached  the  sermon  on 
the  funeral  occasion,  which  was  published  in  the  Trumpet ; 
and  truly  said  of  the  departed  one  :  ' '  The  ministering  breth- 
ren feel  sensibly  that  one  of  the  brightest  of  our  young  men 
has  fallen,  in  whom  were  blended  the  zeal  and  activity  of 
youth,  and  the  matured  judgment  of  ripened  manhood."  One 
who  knew  the  departed  intimately  has  written  of  him,  "  Our 
church  has  met  with  few  losses  in  the  death  of  its  young 
ministers  so  great  as  the  loss  it  suffered  when  his  voice  was 
hushed.  Of  good  talents,  ardent,  sincere,  of  immense  energy, 
he  was  a  young  man  of  signal  promise,  alive  in  ever}'  fibre  of 
his  being  with  spiritual  fervor  and  zeal,  and  thoroughly  con- 
secrated to  his  Christian  work.  But  the  force  and  fire  of  his 
zeal  soon  consumed  his  physical  powers,  and  too  soon  for  us, 
as  it  appeared,  his  earthly  work  was  ended." 1 

On  Tuesday,  July  3,  the  meeting-house  erected  by  the  Uni- 
versalists  in  Andover,  Mass.,  was  dedicated.  The  sermon 
on  the  occasion  was  by  Mr.  Whittemore.  In  the  Trumpet  of 
Sept.  1,  there  is  another  appeal  from  the  editor's  pen  in 
behalf  of  the  education  of  ministers.  The  calls  for  them  in 
the  denomination  impel  him  to  this  appeal  for  the  right  supply. 
If  some  ministers  with  small  advantages  for  scholastic  im- 
provement have  been  successful  in  their  work,  this  is  not  to 

1  Rev.  E.  G.  Brooks,  D.D.—  UnicersaUst  Quarterly,  July,  1877. 


THOMAS    W II  ITT  I'M  ORE.  95 

be  regarded  as  the  rule.  Great  natural  qualifications  cannot 
insure  ministerial  success.  Tbe  best  natural  talents  need  to 
be  aided  by  well-directed  stud}-.  The  editor  regrets  that 
there  should  be  any  opposition  among  his  brethren  the  clergy 
to  an  institution  for  the  preparation  of  young  men  for  the 
ministry.  He  thinks  the  subject  should  be  most  seriously 
considered  at  the  corning  session  of  the  General  Convention. 

Another  session  of  the  Rockingham  Association  of  very 
deep  interest,  was  held  at  South  Hampton,  N.H.,  in  August  of 
tliis  year.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  on  the  occasion,  and 
says  of  the  meeting:  "We  know  that,  if  we  describe  this 
meeting  precisely  as  we  viewed  and  as  we  felt  it,  we  shall  be 
regarded  as  too  enthusiastic.  Nevertheless  we  must  say  that, 
takc'ii  altogether,  it  was  one  of  the  most  precious  meetings 
we  ever  attended.  We  are  sure  that  we  never  before  heard 
so  much  good  preaching  in  two  days.  The  conference  and 
praise  meetings  were  peculiarly  interesting  ;  all  the  addresses 
were  marked  by  sound  wisdom  and  deep  evangelical  feeling." 

Boston  welcomed  the  General  Convention  this  year.  It 
was  very  full}"  attended.  The  Occasional  Sermon  was  preached 
in  the  School  Street  church,  by  Rev.  A.  C.  Thomas.  Rev. 
S.  R.  Smith  preached  the  sermon  on  the  second  day  at  the 
communion  service.  There  were  eight  hundred  communi- 
cants present.  Meetings  fully  attended  were  held  in  adjoining 
places.  A  meeting  for  devotional  exercises  was  held  at  the 
grave  of  Murray  at  Mount  Auburn. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Oct.  20,  Mr.  Whittemore  in  a  leading 
editorial  calls  the  attention  of  his  readers  to  the  fact  that, 
however  lightly  Universalists  may  regard  many  of  the  man- 
made  creeds  stated  and  maintained  in  the  Christian  church, 
still  they  have  a  creed  ;  i.e. .  a  statement  of  faith,  the  word 
creed  coming  from  credo,  which  signifies,  I  believe.  "  There 
is  no  harm  in  having  a  creed.  Every  man  who  believes  any 


96  MEMOIR    OF 

thing  has  a  creed,  of  necessity.  The  great  difficulty  in 
regard  to  creeds  has  been  this,  —  they  have  been  set  above  the 
Word  of  God,  and  have  been  the  cause  of  religious  proscrip- 
tion and  cruelty."  He  then  states  the  Universalists'  Creed, 
in  accordance  with  the  Winchester  Confession  of  Faith :  God 
the  just  and  loving  Father  of  man ;  Christ  the  Son  of  God 
and  Saviour  of  all  men  ;  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  Xe\v 
Testaments  as  containing  the  Divine  promise  respecting  man, 
and  the  most  perfect  rule  of  human  conduct  and  life ;  the 
ultimate  redemption  of  ah1  souls  from  error  and  sin  and  tlu'ir 
enjoj-ment  of  life  and  love  immortal. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Oct.  27,  he  takes  occasion  to  notice  the 
position  taken  by  Mr.  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  in  his  address 
delivered  before  the  Senior  Class  at  the  Divinity  School  in 
Cambridge.  This  class  consisted  of  six  young  men,  four  of 
whom  in  the  choice  of  a  preacher  voted  for  Mr.  Emerson, 
who  was  accordingly  chosen.  His  discourse,  as  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  and  others  regarded  it,  was  quite  redolent  of  Atheism 
and  Pantheism.  It  seemed  a  denial  of  the  existence  and 
personality  of  God,  and,  therefore,  unfitted  to  an  occasion  of 
advocating  or  encouraging  a  Christian  ministry.  The  junior 
Professor  Ware  deemed  it  his  duty  to  differ  from  Mr. 
Emerson,  in  a  lecture  before  the  Divinity  School,  which 
was  afterwards  published.  "  If  this,"  says  Mr.  Whittemore, 
"is  to  be  regarded  as  a  sample  of  the  divinity  taught  at 
Cambridge,  we  pray  that  God  in  mercy  may  deliver  our 
land  from  the  blighting,  poisonous  influence  of  the  Cambridge 
Theological  School."  It  is  amusing,  to  say  the  least,  to  read 
Mr.  Whittemore's  notice  of  certain  extracts  from  Mr.  Emer- 
son's Address.  The  mystical  and  obscure  sentences  of  the 
Concord  philosopher  are  mostly  moonshine  to  the  plain, 
clear,  matter-ot-fact  intellect  of  .Mr.  Whitteinore.  The  two 
could  hardly  have  appreciated  each  other.  Mr.  Emerson 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  97 

did  properly  in  leaving  the  Christian  ministry.  Evidently  he 
had  not  been  "called"  to  it.  As  a  scholar,  philosopher, 
and  reformer,  he  has  in  subsequent  years  proved  himself  an 
honor  to  his  country  and  to  his  race. 

On  Sunday,  Oct.  21,  Mr.  "NVhittemore  preached  for  the 
first  time  in  Chester,  X.H.,  to  a  large  audience  of  persons 
from  that  and  the  adjacent  towns.  In  the  Trumpet  of  Oct. 
27,  the  first  extracts  appear  from  a  published  sermon  of  Rev. 
E.  H.  Chapin,  then  of  Richmond,  Va.  Speaking  of  the 
extracts,  the  editor  remarks  that  ';  the}-  are  sufficient  to  show 
that  the  sermon  is  one  of  no  ordinary  kind." 

The  question  involving  religious  instruction  in  our  Common 
Schools  was  somewhat  earnestly  discussed  about  these  days. 
The  Suffolk  Count}'  Common  School  Convention  had  been 
held  in  the  vestry  of  the  Park  Street  Church,  Boston,  where 
the  subject  was  very  freely  debated  by  some  of  the  friends  of 
education.  Certain  of  the  speakers  expressed  serious  fears 
that  religious  instruction  was  to  be  thrust  out  of  our  Common 
Schools,  where  the  intellect  would  be  educated  at  the  expense 
of  the  moral  faculties.  Others  saw  difficult}-  in  the  way  of 
teaching  religion  in  the  schools  because  of  the  differences  of 
religious  views  on  the  part  of  those  who  sent  their  children  to 
these  schools.  If  religion  was  to  be  taught,  what  religion? 
Every  parent  might  want  a  teacher  of  his  own  faith,  and  thus 
contentions  might  be  going  on  in  every  school  district.  Mr. 
AVhittemore  gave  quite  a  space  in  his  paper  to  the  report  of 
this  Convention,  and  stated  his  own  views  of  the  subject. 
He  granted  the  importance  of  correct  moral  guidance  in  the 
Common  Schools,  but  was  strongly  opposed  to  any  course 
that  looked  to  the  predominance  of  one  religious  sect  over 
another  in  this  work.  "  Let  us  not,"  he  says,  "  be  too  much 
in  haste  to  follow  the  examples  of  European  governments,  in 
which  the  people  are  confined  to  professions  of  faith  and 

7 


98  MF.MOIR    OF 

•where  there  is  but  little  freedom  of  opinion.  Their  examples 
are  opposed  to  the  genius  of  our  institutions." 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Nov.  17,  quite  a  spirited  article  appears 
from  the  pen  of  the  editor  on  "The  Worship  of  Christ." 
His  opinions  on  this  subject  had  been  questioned  by  a  brother 
minister  and  editor,  and  he  proceeds  to  state  them  with  great 
clearness.  He  differs  from  many  Unitarians  respecting  the 
nature  of  Christ  and  his  position  in  the  spiritual  universe.  Dr. 
Priestley,  according  to  a  biographer,  thought  it  most  reasona- 
ble to  believe  that  Christ's  perfect  moral  excellence  was  the 
result  of  his  own  exertion,  vigilance,  and  fortitude,  rather 
than  of  a  supernatural  operation,  and  the  biographer  affirmed 
that  it  would  be  hard  to  find  any  considerate  and  consistent 
Unitarian  who  did  not  adopt  Dr.  Priestley's  ideas  concerning 
the  formation  of  our  Lord's  character.  Mr.  Belsham.  an 
English  Unitarian  of  note  had  said:  "The  Unitarians  dis- 
avow all  those  personal  regards  to  Christ  and  direct  addresses 
to  him,  either  of  prayer  or  praise,  which  properly  fall  under 
the  denomination  of  religious  worship,  as  unfounded  in  reason, 
unauthorized  by  Scripture,  and  derogating  from  the  honor  of 
the  Supreme  Being,  —  as  polytheistical  and  idolatrous."  Mr. 
"\Vhittemoreaffirms:  "  I  do  not  regard  Christ  as  Unitarians 
do.  I  sing  his  praise,  I  make  ascriptions  to  him  in  prayer, 
which  they  do  not,  if  their  own  authors  are  to  be  believed. 
I  am  a  Universalist.  I  believe  in  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  universal  Saviour.  Unto  him  ever}-  knee  shall  bow  ; 
every  tongue  shall  confess  him  Lord ;  the  angels  shall  wor- 
ship him  ;  the  universe  —  every  creature  that  God  hath  made 
in  his  image  shall  worship  God  and  the  Lamb,  and  ascribe  to 
each  blessing,  honor,  glory,  and  power  for  evermore.  I 
respond  from  the  heart  a  full  Amen." 

The  Universalist  Meeting-house  in  Nashua.  N.H.,  was  ded- 
icated Jan.  1,  1839  ;  the  Occasional  Sermon  was  preached  by 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE,  99 

Mr.  Whittemore.  On  the  16th,  a  conference  of  much  interest, 
•which  Mr.  Whittemore  attended,  was  held  in  Danvers,  Mass. 
He  writes  of  the  closing  conference  meeting:  "It  was  an 
occasion  of  high  spiritual  joy  and  of  great  profit.  We  have 
no  doubt  that  a  large  portion  of  the  persons  present  were 
made  wiser,  and  went  home  from  the  exercises  of  that  occa- 
sion with  holier  feelings  and  resolutions.  We  are  constrained 
once  more  to  recommend  these  meetings  to  our  brethren  all 
over  the  country,  and  advise  that  our  lay  brethren  should 
cultivate  their  abilities  and  take  part  in  these  services  more 
frequently  than  the}'  have  done.  We  desire  to  have  frequent 
opportunities  of  attending  such  meetings  as  the  one  at  Dan- 
vers." 

In  an  editorial  entitled  "To  Believers  Scattered  Abroad," 
he  makes  an  earnest  and  faithful  appeal  to  all  friends  of 
Universalism,  wherever  they  may  be,  to  make  some  active 
exertion  for  the  dissemination  of  their  principles,  the  building 
up  of  their  faith.  Wherever  ten  believers  can  be  found,  he 
advises  them  to  setup  religious  worship.  "Ten  good  men 
are  enough  to  make  a  beginning  with.  That  number  is  more 
than  there  were  righteous  persons  in  Sodom.  Form  a  society. 
Meet  together  as  often  as  you  can  for  conversation,  for  con- 
ference, for  encouragement.  Meet  on  the  Sabbath ;  read 
the  Scriptures,  sing,  pray,  even  if  a  printed  form  of  prayer 
be  used ;  select  a  good  discourse  from  the  great  number  pub- 
lished by  our  clerg}',  and  read  it  for  the  edification  of  the 
meeting.  On  the  next  Sabbath  let  some  other  brother  offici- 
ate. This  practice  of  lay  worship  has  been  tried  with  very 
good  results,  and  we  do  most  sincerely  recommend  it  to  the 
brethren  scattered  abroad."  Again  he  pleads  with  the  la}-- 
men :  ' '  The  fewness  of  the  speakers  among  our  laymen  is 
not  to  be  attributed  to  any  lack  of  talents  in  them,  but 
rather  to  the  former  habits  of  the  denomination  itself.  It 


100  MEMOIR    OF 

has  not  been  sufficiently  a  habit  with  us  for  our  Ia3'men  to 
speak.  Let  us  break  up  our  old  habit,  which  was  a  bad  one, 
and  begin  anew.  It  will  be  the  duty  of  the  laymen  to  en- 
courage us  in  bringing  about  this  state  of  things.  Our  breth- 
ren, by  heeding  these  directions,  we  believe,  would  see  the 
happiest  consequences  following  them.  Nothing  would  please 
us  more  than  to  see  this  course  taken,  in  order  to  tr}'  the  cor- 
rectness of  our  conclusions."  Sound  and  timely  advice,  and 
as  good  and  applicable  at  this  time  as  it  was  forty  years  ago. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  March  16,  in  an  article  addressed  to 
Rev.  S.  R.  Smith,  there  is  another  appeal  from  the  editor 
for  a  Theological  Institution.  He  is  anxious  to  have  the 
movement  begin.  "We  are  behind  the  Presbyterians,  the 
Baptists,  the  Congregationalists,  the  Episcopalians,  Unitari- 
ans, Methodists,  and  others  in  these  things.  How  long  is 
this  to  be  so  ?  "  His  prophecy  in  another  article  on  this  sub- 
ject has  been  verified.  "We  must  expect  to  begin  small, 
and  that  our  institution  will  be  weak  in  its  infancy.  But  get 
it  once  into  operation,  give  it  however  small  '  a  local  habita- 
tion and  a  name,'  it  will  become  a  focus  of  our  best  wishes, 
our  praj'ers  and  donations.  Every  year  will  see  it  gaining 
strength." 

In  June  of  this  }*ear,  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  at  the 
New  Hampshire  Convention  in  Nashua,  N.H.,  and  took  part 
in  the  services  at  the  ordination  of  Rev.  A.  A.  Miner.  He 
describes  the  session  as  one  of  much  interest.  Of  the  last 
conference  and  prayer  meeting  he  writes:  "There  was  a 
large  number  of  speakers.  We  were  never  present  at  a 
meeting  where  the  brethren  were  more  read}'  to  bear  trsti- 
mon}'.  There  was  no  painful  waiting  for  one  another.  The 
meeting  was  profitable.  Many  members  of  other  sects  were 
present."  In  August,  he  attended  the  Rockingham  Associa- 
tion at  Hampstead,  N.H.  He  remained  but  one  da}'  on 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  101 

account  of  a  severe  attack  of  cholera,  which  subjected  him  to 
a  night  of  severe  and  incessant  pain.  The  care  of  kind 
friends,  and  the  skill  of  an  able  and  attentive  physician,  ena- 
bled him  to  start  for  home,  where  he  arrived,  none  the  worse 
for  the  ride.  The  meetings  of  the  Association  were  largely 
attended. 

On  Friday,  Sept.  13,  Rev.  Thomas  F.  King,  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Charlestown,  departed  this  life,  aged  forty-two. 
He  had  been  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  for  twenty  years,  was 
self-educated,  and  received  much  of  his  religious  instruction 
and  inspiration  by  attendance  on  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Edward 
Mitchell  of  New  York  city,  the  place  of  his  birth.  He  had 
been  pastor  at  Hudson,  N.Y.  (where  his  son,  Thomas  Starr, 
was  born),  and  in  Portsmouth,  N.H.,  before  coming  to 
Charlestown.  He  was  an  able,  eloquent,  and  successful  min- 
ister, and  greatly  beloved  in  all  his  pastorates.  He  had  a 
lingering  and  painful  illness,  but  was  constantly  sustained 
and  inwardly  strengthened  by  that  holy  faith  which  he  had 
so  long  and  so  faithfully  commended  to  others.  The  funeral 
was  attended  at  the  church  on  Monday*,  Sept.  16.  The 
discourse  was  by  Rev.  Sebastian  Streeter  of  Boston.  Mr. 
Whittemore  took  part  in  the  services,  and  was  one  of  the 
pall-bearers. 

The  dedication  of  the  new  meeting-house  in  Waltham  took 
place  on  Wednesday,  Sept.  11.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  day, 
a  white  marble  obelisk  was  placed  over  the  grave  of  Rev.  W. 
C.  Hauscom  in  the  cemetery  in  that  town.  The  prayer  on 
this  occasion  was  offered  In*  Mr.  Whittemore.  A  very  im- 
pressive address  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Henry  Bacon. 

In  October,  the  office  of  the  Trumpet,  at  Xos.  38  and  40 
Comhill,  was  seriously  injured  by  fire.  With  the  exception 
of  a  few  books  and  bundles  of  paper,  the  entire  contents  of 
the  office  were  destroyed.  The  mail-books  were  saved.  The 


102  MEMOIR    OF 

damage  exceeded  the  insurance  on  the  property  destroyed, 
and  not  a  little  delay  and  trouble  were  caused  in  the  issuing 
of  the  paper.  But  the  resolute  publisher  said  :  ' '  We  intend 
that  it  shall  come  forth  phoenix-like  from  its  ashes,  and  we 
•would  that  we  might  say  that  it  shall  be  the  better  for  having 
passed  through  the  fire,  like  gold  purified  in  the  furnace." 

A  good  word  has  he  on  self-sacrifice  in  his  leading  editorial 
of  Nov.  2.  He  alludes  to  Christ's  teaching,  to  the  example 
of  the  early  Christians,  and  to  the  need  of  this  spirit  among 
Christians  at  the  present  time.  lie  addresses  those  who  hold 
the  Universalist  faith:  "Reader,  ask  yourself,  have  you  the 
true  spirit  of  sacrifice  ?  Are  you  willing  to  part  with  your 
substance  for  the  cause  of  the  Gospel?  Have  }'ou  done  your 
duty  in  this  respect?  Have  you  subscribed  liberal^  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  preached  word?  Are  you  willing  to  do 
your  full  proportion  in  building  a  meeting-house  in  the  town 
in  which  you  live  ?  Willing  to  do  3*our  part  in  any  Christian 
enterprise,  according  to  the  magnitude  of  it  and  according  to 
your  comparative  ability?  Look  around  you.  Are  there  no 
Christians  of  other  churches  who  put  you  to  shame?  Look 
at  the  Methodists.  See  what  sums  they  are  offering  as  their 
centenary  gifts  to  testify  their  gratitude  to  God  for  his  abun- 
dant mercy  to  their  church.  We  are  not  desirous  that  Uni- 
versalists  should  run  into  any  of  the  injurious  excesses  of 
other  sects.  But  where  these  others  are  right  let  us  follow 
them." 

The  Universalist  Meeting-house  in  South  Reading  was 
dedicated,  Nov.  21  of  this  3'ear.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached 
on  the  occasion.  A  very  large  audience  was  in  attendance, 
and  meetings  were  continued  through  the  day  and  evening. 

About  these  days,  the  Second  Adventist  proplu-t.  Rev.  ^Ir. 
Miller,  appeared  in  New  England.  He  had  fixed  a  new  date 
for  the  end  of  the  world,  — 1843.  Possibly  his  figures  might 


THOMAS    WUITTEMORE.  103 

mistake  just  one  hundred  j-ears,  but  he  was  quite  sure  that 
the  43  of  the  present  century  was  the  true  time.  He  was 
quite  fluent  in  the  statement  of  his  calculations,  using  the 
imager}-  of  some  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets  with  strong 
effect  with  the  classes  of  hearers  disposed  to  accept  his  con- 
clusions. The  man  himself  was  but  of  small  account  as  a 
prophet ;  but  he  was  used  by  other  preachers  to  further  their 
revival  work  by  raising  much  religious  excitement  in  refer- 
ence to  this  second  personal  appearance  of  Christ  and  the 
general  winding  up  of  sublunary  affairs.  Mr.  AVhittemore 
spoke  very  plainly  on  this  subject,  and  especially  in  condem- 
nation of  those  who,  although  they  had  no  faith  whatever  in 
Mr.  Miller's  theory,  were  ready  to  have  it  pass  current  with 
others,  so  that  a  religious  revival  might  be  promoted.  He 
denounced  this  very  justby  as  rank  dishonest}'.  He  regarded 
the  imposture  as  laying  the  foundation  for  infidelity  in  many 
minds.  Speaking  of  the  admission  of  Mr.  Miller  into  a  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Carnbridgeport,  he  says  :  "  We  agree  with  Dr. 
Sharp  in  a  remark  he  is  said  to  have  made,  that  the  Miller 
theory  is  '  all  moonshine,'  and  are  astonished  that  a  truly 
respectable  societ}'  should  give  the  least  countenance  to  such 
deception."  But  the  excitement  had  its  run.  The  brick 
tabernacle  erected  in  Howard  Street,  Boston,  was  intended 
for  the  use  of  the  Second  Adventists  until  the  crisis  in  1840. 
But  the  gatherings  there  as  well  as  elsewhere  at  the  appointed 
time  were  followed  by  no  realization  of  the  event  predicted, 
and  the  ground  where  the  Boston  Tabernacle  stood  has  since 
been  occupied  bj-  the  Howard  Athenaum  building.  During 
this  excitement,  able  reviews  of  Mr.  Miller's  theory  were  pub- 
lished by  ministers  of  the  Universalist  Church,  —  Rev.  A.  C. 
Thomas,  Rev.  0.  A.  Skinner,  Rev.  Thomas  Whittemore, 
and  Rev.  J.  M.  Austin. 

In  February.   1840,  Mr.  AVhittemore's  new   book,  "  The 


104  MEMOIR    OF 

Plain  Guide  to  Universalism,"  was  issued.  It  was  a  work 
"designed  to  lead  inquirers  to  the  belief  of  that  doctrine, 
and  believers  to  the  practice  of  it."  It  includes  a  brief  his- 
tory of  the  doctrine  from  the  earliest  ages ;  its  evidences 
from  the  Scriptures ;  explains  controverted  passages ;  an- 
swers the  common  objections  to  the  doctrine  ;  points  out  the 
moral  tendency  of  the  faith,  and  the  duties  of  those  who 
hold  it ;  furnishes  directions  for  the  formation  of  churches  and 
societies,  a  plan  of  church  government,  scriptural  views  of 
the  Lord's  Supper,  and  a  form  of  the  administration  of  the 
same.  A  chapter  on  the  evidences  of  revealed  religion  in- 
cludes the  whole  of  that  valuable  little  work,  "  Leslie's  Short 
Method  with  the  Deists."  It  was  very  favorably  received  by 
the  Universalist  public,  and  large  numbers  of  the  volume 
were  circulated.  It  was  not,  however,  very  courteously  re- 
ceived in  certain  orthodox  quarters.  A  notice  of  it  in  the 
Boston  Recorder,  attributed  to  the  pen  of  the  late  Dr.  Storrs, 
of  Braintree,  is  quite  caustic.  The  writer  sa}^ :  "Every 
minister  who  has  the  care  of  souls  ought  to  possess  the  book 
and  stucby  it ;  for  otherwise  he  can  know  little  of  the  length 
and  breadth  of  that  scheme  of  mischief  and  ruin  which  Satan 
has  devised  in  these  last  days  for  the  filling  up  of  his  king- 
dom." To  which  Mr.  Whitteinore  replies,  that  "neither 
scorn  nor  bitterness  will  convince  the  author  of  the  '  Guide ' 
of  his  error,  but  sound  arguments  drawn  from  the  Bible. 
This  notice  states  that  the  '  Guide '  should  be  '  in  the  hands 
of  every  minister  who  has  the  care  of  souls.'  This  we  sup- 
pose a  hint  to  the  orthodox  clergy  to  buy  the  book  and  read 
it.  We  have  no  objections  :  the  more  they  road  it  the  bettor. 
We  are  not  afraid  to  have  it  candidly  examined,  and  arc  glad 
that  the  editor  of  the  Recorder  recommends  his  clerical  brethren 
to  read  it." 

In  the  Trumpet  of  April  4,  Mr.  Whitteinore  invites  Rev. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  105 

Parsons  Cooke,  editor  of  the  Puritan,  to  a  discussion  of  the 
question,  "Is  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery  revealed  in  the 
Bible?"  the  articles  of  both  parties  to  be  publi  shed  in  the  Trum- 
pet and  Puritan.  Mr.  Cooke  gave  his  reasons  for  declining, 
which  did  not  seem  satisfactory  to  Mr.  Whittemore,  and  for 
a  few  months  the  discussion  was  delayed ;  but,  after  repeated 
efforts  on  the  part  of  the  trumpeter  to  induce  his  neighbor  to 
commence,  Mr.  Cooke,  in  July,  entered  upon  the  debate.  Mr. 
Whittemore  was  much  gratified  that  the  arguments  on  both 
sides  were  to  come  before  the  readers  of  both  papers.  He 
deems  it  a  rare  opportunity  for  him  to  speak  in  defence  of  the 
Gospel.  He  says:  "Mr.  Cooke  comes  before  the  public  to 
attack  Uuiversalism  as  the  organ  of  an  orthodox  association. 
He  comes  out  to  make  the  greatest  onslaught  upon  our  faith, 
for  the  whole  orthodox  part}'  in  the  county  of  Essex,  as  his 
brother,  Mr.  Braman,  did  in  1833.  He  shall  be  vanquished. 
We  have  but  little  confidence  in  ourself,  but  the  truth  of  God 
cannot  be  overthrown.  Mr.  Cooke  has  agreed  to  publish  both 
sides  of  the  controversy  in  his  paper.  It  was  an  unfortunate 
day  for  his  doctrine  when  he  agreed  to  do  that." 

During  the  discussion,  Mr.  Whittemore  had  occasion  to  say : 
"  There  is  one  fact  worthy  of  notice.  Before  this  controversy 
began,  and  while  Mr.  Cooke  was  carrying  on  his  running  fight 
with  us,  many  of  the  partialist  editors  were  in  ecstasies.  The}' 
could  not  refrain  from  expressing  their  joy  that  the  editor  of 
the  Trumpet  had  found  an  opponent  whom  he  dare  not  meet 
in  fair  controversy.  But  since  the  regular  discussion  com- 
menced, we  hear  no  shouts  of  victory  from  them :  they  have 
become  comparatively  silent.  Not  one  of  them  has  copied 
the  controversy  ;  whereas  the  Universalist  editors  have  copied 
freely  on  both  sides.  What  meaneth  this,  if  the  argument  for 
endless  punishment  is  well  sustained  ?  " 

Mr.  Cooke  closed  the  discussion  in  December,  much  against 


106  MEMOIR    OF 

the  desire  of  Mr.  Whittemore,  who  would  have  continued  it 
through  the  next  year  if  his  neighbor  had  signified  his  readi- 
ness to  do  so. 

Mr.  Whittemore  speaks  with  much  gratification,  in  one  of 
his  editorials,  of  the  progress  of  Universalism  since  his 
acceptance  of  its  claims,  and  entrance  upon  its  ministry. 

"Where  are  the  old-fashioned  doctrines  of  our  orthodox 
fathers?  Where  is  the  doctrine  of  infant  damnation,  which 
was  formerly  preached  with  so  much  assurance?  Who 
preaches  the  doctrines  of  election  and  reprobation  as  they 
were  preached  in  former  times?  Who  dare  say  now,  what 
was  so  boldly  and  so  frequently  said  in  former  times,  that  a 
large  part  of  the  human  race  would  be  lost  for  ever?  Who 
believes  now  in  a  hell  of  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  literal  sense  ? 
All  these  forms  of  error  have  passed  away,  and  now  it  is  con- 
ceded, even  by  the  most  rigid  of  our  divines,  that  all  infants 
will  be  saved  ;  that  there  is  no  decree  which  prevents  the  sal- 
vation of  all  men ;  that  but  a  few  of  the  human  race  will  be 
lost,  and  that  by  far  the  larger  part  of  mankind  will  be  finally 
saved?  that  hell  is  not  literal  fire,  but  a  hell  of  conscience; 
that  it  is  not  a  place,  but  a  certain  condition  of  the  mind. 
Now,  mark  you,  reader,  all  these  changes  are  toward  the 
doctrine  of  Universalism ;  every  one  of  them  brings  society 
nearer  to  that  faith.  Although  there  are  many  who  start 
back  with  horror  from  the  name  of  Universalists,  they  are 
fast  approaching  the  sentiments  of  that  class  of  Christians."  1 

In  common  with  other  editors,  Mr.  Whittemore  was  tried 
at  times  by  those  who  wished  to  have  him  speak  their  opinions 
and  favor  their  interests,  whatever  his  own  opinions  as  to 
such  courses  might  be.  He  gives  all  such  very  plainly  to 
understand  that  his  independence  cannot  be  purchased  in  any 

l  Trumpet,  April  11,  1840. 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  107 

such  way.  "  "We  ask,"  he  says,  "  for  no  subscribers  who  do 
not  approve  of  our  general  course.  We  are  willing  to  receive 
advice  from  our  friends  with  attention  and  gratitude,  if  given 
in  kindness ;  but  do  not  attempt  to  buy  us,  —  at  least  until 
we  offer  ourself  for  sale.  When  people  do  not  approve  of 
our  course,  they  sometimes  threaten  to  discontinue  their  patron- 
age of  the  Trumpet  if  we  do  not  desist.  We  should  be  un- 
worthy of  the  station  we  hold  if  we  were  capable  of  being  moved 
by  such  considerations.  We  hope  never  to  be  insensible  to 
the  kindness  of  our  friends  ;  never  to  be  ungrateful  for  their 
stead}'  and  unfluctuating  support ;  we  do  not  deny  that  we 
regret  to  have  good  patrons  leave  us :  but  when  a  person 
attempts  to  turn  us  from  a  course  we  believe  to  be  right, 
either  by  promises  of  support  or  a  threat  of  withdrawing  it, 
he  has  a  mean  estimate  of  our  honesty.  Whenever  the  tune 
shall  come  that  we  will  sacrifice  truth,  honor,  the  good  of  the 
denomination,  or  a  clean  conscience,  for  the  sake  of  gaining 
or  retaining  patronage,  it  will  be  time  for  the  Trumpet  to  pass 
into  other  hands." 


108  MEMOIR  OF 


CHAPTER    VI. 

1840-1843. 
AGED  40-43. 

Unitarianism  and  Universalism  —  State  Convention  at  New  Bedford  — 
Views  on  future  punishment  —  Movement  of  Restorationists  —  Desire 
for  union  —  Dedication  and  Church  Recognition  at  Concord,  Mass.  — 
Statement  of  Rev.  Dr.  Lowell  and  comments  —  Dedication  at  Newbury- 
port  —  The  Banker  —  Theological  Seminary  —  Temperance  Reform 
—  Rev.  Theodore  Parker  —  Gospel  Harmonist  —  Rockingham  Asso- 
ciation—  Seminary  meeting  at  Worcester — U.S.  Convention  at  New 
York  —  Knapp  excitement  —  Rev.  O.  A.  Skinner's  Review  of  it  — 
Temperance  Lectures  —  Twenty  years'  experience  —  Conference  at 
East  Cambridge  —  U.S.  Convention  at  Providence. —  Conference  at 
Marblehead  —  Rev.  G.  E.  Channing  on  Unitarianism,  and  Mr.  Whit- 
temore's  comments. 

SIDE  by  side  with  the  Universalist  sect,  there  had  grown 
up  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  that  of  the 
Unitarian.  It  was  mainly  a  New  England  movement.  It 
did  not  start,  like  that  of  the  Universalist,  with  an  open 
avowal  of  certain  articles  of  faith  on  which  it  professed  to  be 
based,  although  it  graduall}-  came  to  this  avowal  as  its  history 
matured.  It  seemed  an  outcome  of  the  Arminianism  that 
existed  more  or  less  in  the  churches  of  the  orthodox  or 
"  standing  order."  It  dwelt  for  a  time  in  comparative  peace 
with  these  churches,  and  occupied  their  pulpits,  and  shared 
their  fellowship.  But  afterwards  it  was  more  outspoken.  It 
affirmed  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Unity ;  it  discarded  the 
Trinity,  Total  Depravity,  and  the  Decrees  of  election  and 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  109 

reprobation  so  inseparable  from  Calvinism,  and  assumed  a 
position  such  as  to  draw  forth  the  opposition  of  the  orthodox 
churches,  and  cause  a  cessation  of  pulpit  exchanges  and 
church  fellowship  between  them.  A  large  number  of  parishes 
originally  orthodox,  thus  became,  by  vote  of  the  majority, 
Unitarian  parishes,  still  retaining  the  word  "  Congregational" 
in  their  parish  titles. 

Meanwhile  the  Unitarians  were  indisposed  to  a  hearty  fel- 
lowship of  the  Universalists.  They  did  not  generally  accept 
the  doctrine  of  the  final  salvation  of  all  souls  as  a  truth  of  the 
Gospel,  and  were  not  inclined  to  exchange  pulpit  services 
with  our  ministers,  nor  to  give  their  support  to  Uuivcrsah'st 
churches  in  places  where  these  churches  were  set  up  instead 
of  their  own.  Indeed,  it  was  often  the  case  that  their  "  lib- 
eral" Christianity  inclined  them  to  worship  with  the  most 
orthodox  congregations  there.  At  the  same  time  they  were 
ready  to  complain  of  the  orthodox  because  of  the  unwilling- 
ness of  their  ministers  to  exchange  pulpit  services  with  their 
own.  Gradually,  however,  Unitarianism  has  more  widely 
adopted  among  its  articles  of  faith  that  of  the  ultimate  recon- 
ciliation of  all  souls  to  the  One  Father ;  and  many  of  its  ad- 
herents have  been  asking  for  a  score  of  years  just  past; 
'  •  What  is  the  difference  between  Unitarianism  and  Universal- 
ism  ?  and  why  cannot  the  two  sects  work  together  in  a  com- 
mon Christian  s3-nipathy  and  fellowship  ?  " 

They  can  in  some  respects ;  in  others,  they  cannot  so 
freely.  The  prominent  theological  ideas  of  Unitarianism, 
viz.,  the  Fatherhood  of  God  and  the  Brotherhood  of  Man, 
are  in  accordance  with  all  the  Universalism  of  the  past  or 
present.  But  Universalism  has  always  accepted  the  logical 
conclusions  growing  out  of  these  two  statements  of  faith ; 
while  Unitarianism  has  often  hesitated  in  its  acceptance  of 


110  MKMOIR    OF 

them.  Dr.  Channing,  -with  all  the  clearness  and  strength  of 
his  defence  and  maintenance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine 
Paternit}-,  failed,  so  far  as  we  can  learn  from  the  record  of  his 
ministry,  to  see  clearly  and  acknowledge  the  truth  that  this 
same  Paternity  will  bring  all  the  human  family  at  last  to  the 
enjoyment  and  life  of  the  one  common  heavenly  home. 
Other  eminent  ministers  of  the  Unitarian  churches  were  like 
him  in  this  respect.  A  few  still  seemed  inclined  to  a  belief 
in  the  unending  punishment  of  the  unregenerate ;  others 
favored  the  idea  of  the  annihilation  of  the  wicked ;  while  a 
larger  number  were  in  doubt  as  to  the  disposition  God  would 
make  of  those  who  departed  this  life  without  reconciliation  to 
him,  and  were  disposed  to  regard  the  whole  discussion  of 
the  subject  as  the  gratifying  of  "  an  idle  and  useless  curios- 
ity." The  Universalism  that  recognized  in  Christ  that  love 
of  the  Father  that  would  surely  draw  all  his  children  to 
him,  and  that  deemed  it  essential  that  this  truth  of  the 
Father  should  be  clearly  spoken  to  his  children  everywhere 
in  the  dispensation  of  the  Gospel,  could  not  be  satistied 
with  any  ministry  that  would  dispense  with  it,  or,  holding 
it,  would  deem  it  wise  and  prudent  to  keep  it  in  the  back- 
ground. 

Then,  Universalism  was,  practically,  a  democratic  faith. 
It  sought  "  the  common  people,"  and  made  its  appeal  to  them. 
It  cared  little  for  social  distinctions,  as  these  were  often  con- 
ventionally regarded  in  society ;  for  ecclesiastical  precedents 
or  establishments  ;  for  the  prestige  given  to  churches  by  edu- 
cational institutions,  or  wealth,  or  any  other  like  considera- 
tion, when  it  would  make  its  appeals  to  the  masses.  It 
numbered  among  its  friends  many  "  plain  people,"  and  while 
it  had  the  countenance  and  support  of  some  of  the  soundest 
thinkers  and  most  respected  persons  in  society,  it  sought  to 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  Ill 

take  hold  upon  the  popular  thought  and  invite  all  classes  to  a 
consideration  of  its  claims.1 

Unitarianism  acted  in  a  more  conservative  way.  It  stood 
more  upon  its  dignity,  scholarship,  and  respectabilit}'.  833-3 
one  of  its  own  children :  "  It  almost  seemed  like  a  social  move- 
ment, beginning  at  the  top  and  working  down.  Distinguished 
laymen,  even  more  than  distinguished  ministers,  gave  it  char- 
acter. Near  Boston  it  was  fashionable.  ...  It  was  seldom 
found  with  warm  expressive  feelings  ;  and  what  excited  little 
apparent  enthusiasm,  even  among  its  own  followers,  would 
fail  of  course  to  touch  the  general  heart."  2 

Moreover,  Universalism,  as  it  made  increase  in  numbers 
and  means  for  the  extension  of  its  influences,  gave  special 
heed  to  the  organization  of  its  forces  and  the  systematic 
advancement  of  its  church  interests ;  while  Unitarianism 
seemed  to  care  less  for  its  organization  and  growth  as  a 
sectarian  force  than  for  the  work  it  might  do  as  a  leavening 
power  in  setting  right  the  opinions  of  the  churches,  and  of 
the  religious  world  generally.  It  was  not  over-anxious  to 
have  a  positive  statement  of  doctrines  around  which  its  pro- 
fessed friends  might  rally ;  and  so  opened  a  wide  door  for  the 
incoming  of  much  of  the  unchristian  radicalism  that  has  since 
caused  its  churches  no  little  vexation  in  their  attempts  to 
draw  the  line  of  distinction  between  sceptical  Theism  or  Pan- 
theism and  the  teachings  of  the  New  Testament.  As 
another  has  so  expressively  said:  "The  'Address  to  the 

1  "The  voice  of  its  champions  in  press  and  pulpit,  and  of  sturdy  vil- 
lage propagandists,  gave  forth  no  uncertain  sound.    But  its  literary  field 
still  lay  apart  from  that  of  Unitarians.     It  maintained  its  evangelical 
and  democratic  character,  making  an  appeal  to  a  class  that  would  only 
have  been  offended  by  the  high  cold  rationalism  of  the  Boston  set.    And 
the  Boston  set,  from  its  side,  was  little  disposed  to  fraternize."  —  Memoir 
of  Dr.  E.  S.  Gannett,  by  his  son. 

2  Ib. 


112  MEMOIR  OF 

Divinity  School '  (by  Mr.  R.  "W.  Emerson)  was  the  veritable 
proclamation  of  a  new  gospel,  a  gospel  which  indeed  '  ravished 
the  souls '  of  the  elect,  but  proved  too  subtle  and  ethereal  to 
become  '  bread  of  life  to  millions.'  This  ambrosial  food  was 
transmuted  into  homelier  diet  \)y  Mr.  Parker,  and  has  served 
to  furnish  the  board  of  the  later  Free  religionists." l 

Pre-eminent  among  the  Unitarian  divines  stood  Dr.  Chau- 
ning,  one  of  the  brightest  lights  of  the  churches  of  advanced 
Christian  thought  of  the  present  century.  His  greatness, 
however,  was  not  like  that  of  Ballou.  Although  his  scholarly 
attainments  were  superior,  the  latter  was  the  sturdier  theolo- 
gian of  the  two.  But,  as  it  has  been  truly  written,  "the 
inspiration  of  Channing  lay  in  his  noble  '  enthusiasm  of  hu- 
manity.' As  a  scientific  theologian,  he  cut  no  deep  lines  on 
our  religious  thought ;  but,  as  an  apostle  of  that  benignant 
Gospel  which  seeks  in  the  welfare  of  man  the  highest  glory  of 
God,  he  must  be  reckoned  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  in  our 
spiritual  firmament.  His  true  and  abiding  influence  overruns 
the  boundaries  of  sects."  * 

Such  were  the  relative  positions  of  the  two  sects  soon  after 
Mr.  Whittemore  entered  the  ministry,  and  through  the  time 
of  his  connection  with  the  Trumpet  as  its  editor.  He  well 
knew  the  characters  of  the  leading  ministers  and  writers  of  the 
Unitarian  churches,  and  held  in  high  esteem  their  mental 
accomplishments,  as  well  as  their  Christian  philanthropy  and 
devotion.  But,  in  his  notices  of  them  before  the  public,  he 
never  failed  to  note  what  he  considered  their  shortcomings, 
with  the  same  plainness  which  he  manifested  in  his  dealings 
with  other  sects  around  him.  In  one  instance,  he  significantly 
remarks,  speaking  of  some  annual  statistical  reports:  "A 
New  England  Unitarian  endeavors  to  preserve  a  careful 

1  Prof.  Diman,  in  Xorth  Amer.  Review  for  Jan.  1876.  2  Ib. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  113 

balance  between  Orthodoxy  and  Universalism,  throwing 
weights  into  either  scale,  as  the  opposite  is  likely  to  predomi- 
nate. Unitarianism  is  in  a  flourishing  condition  when  the  beam 
is  exactly  horizontal.  There  are,  however,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, some  among  our  Unitarian  neighbors  who  are  open 
and  independent ;  but  these  disapprove  as  highly  as  we  the 
middle-ground  policy."  At  a  later  date,  in  an  editorial  of  his 
paper,  he  pays  this  willing  tribute  to  them:  "We  might 
speak  of  the  intercourse  we  have  enjoj'ed  with  Unitarians. 
There  are  noble  spirits  among  them,  —  men  who  would  scorn  a 
mean  action  ;  men  whose  tendencj7  towards  heaven  has  lifted 
them  above  all  party  warfare  ;  whose  Christianity  consists  in 
doing  good  ;  who  do  not  so  much  belong  to  one  sect  as  to  all 
sects.  We  honor  such  men.  It  is  profitable  to  be  in  their 
society.  But  all  Unitarians  are  not  of  this  character,  neither 
are  all  Universalists.  We  would  that  the  number  of  such 
might  increase.  If  there  is  any  thing  in  the  effect  of  our 
labors  that  in  the  least  prevents  the  influx  of  the  tide  of  gen- 
erous emotions  among  the  different  sects,  God  knows  we  do 
not  intend  it  for  that  end.  We  would  sooner  that  our  right 
hand  should  be  stricken  off,  than  that  it  should  use  a  pen  for 
such  a  purpose." 1 

Always  in  readiness  to  co-operate  with  Unitarians  as  fellow 
Christians,  and  especially  as  those  who  claimed  to  be  emphat- 
ically "liberal "in  their  Christian  faith  and  work,  he  was 
true  to  his  convictions  of  their  errors  in  doctrine  or  action, 
and  his  duty  to  present  his  own  faith  as  embracing  all  the 
excellencies  of  Unitarianism,  and  as  pre-eminent  in  its 
claims  upon  mankind. 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  at  the  session  of  the  Massachu- 
setts State  Convention,  in  New  Bedford,  in  June  of  this  year. 

1  Trumpet,  Oct.  16,  1847. 
8 


114  MEMOIR  OF 

Reform  topics  were  freely  discussed  there,  the  inviolabilit}-  of 
human  life  and  the  abolition  of  slavery.  He  took  part  in  the 
debate  on  the  last-named  subject,  which  was  evidently  grow- 
ing in  importance  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  especially 
in  the  churches  in  New  England.  No  unanimous  or  decisive 
word  respecting  it  was  sent  out  to  the  public  from  this  meet- 
ing of  the  Convention.  The  time  had  not  quite  come.  A 
committee  was  chosen  —  of  which  Mr.  Whittemore  was  one  — 
to  appoint  a  board  of  trustees  of  a  Theological  Seminary,  to 
obtain  a  site,  hold  the  property  in  trust,  and  erect  the  neces- 
sary buildings  as  soon  as  possible.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  also 
chosen  a  committee  to  report  the  condition  of  the  denomina- 
tional cause  in  Massachusetts  at  the  next  session  of  the  United 
States  Convention. 

His  views  in  reference  to  future  punishment  were  in  sub- 
stance those  of  the  eminent  man  who  had  been  his  principal 
theological  instructor,  —  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou.  A  strong  con- 
troversy on  this  subject  had  risen  up,  and  Mr.  Ballou  had 
been  earnestly  engaged  in  it.  He  had  not  sought  the  contro- 
versy with  his  brethren,  but  it  came  very  naturally  in  the 
order  of  events  existing  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Ballou's  removal 
to  Boston.  Rev.  Paul  Dean,  minister  of  the  First  Universal- 
ist  Church  in  that  city,  Rev.  Edward  Turner,  of  Charlestown, 
and  others,  believers  in  the  doctrine  of  future  punishment, 
felt  called  upon  to  affirm  it ;  and  especially  in  opposition  to 
the  opinions  of  Mr.  Ballou  on  the  subject.  So  strong  bc-cmm: 
the  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  believers  in  future  punishment, 
that  a  circular  was  issued  by  them,  declaring  a  dissolution 
between  them  and  the  Universalists.  It  appeared  in  the  In- 
dependent Messenger,  of  Aug.  26,  1831,  —  a  paper  established 
to  maintain  their  opinions  and  the  position  which  they  had 
taken  in  reference  to  them.  "  The  intention  was,"  saj-s  Mr. 
Whittemore,  "to  form  a  new  sect  or  distinct  class  of  Chris- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  115 

tians,  bearing  the  name  Restorationists.  The  design  did  not 
succeed.  The  organization  continued  for  a  few  years  only, 
when  it  died  of  itself,  and  those  who  composed  it  generally 
amalgamated  with  the  Unitarians." l 

That  Mr.  "NVhittemore  was  quite  persistent  in  the  advocacy 
of  his  peculiar  views  respecting  the  Divine  retributions,  is 
quite  evident ;  some  have  thought  him  too  much  so  altogether. 
But  it  should  be  remembered  that  there  were  those  equally 
persistent  on  the  other  side  ;  and,  besides,  it  was  honestly  be- 
lieved by  many  that  one  ground  of  opposition  to  Mr.  Ballon 
by  some  of  the  leaders  in  the  new  movement  was  the  jealousy 
of  one  of  them  because  of  the  coming  of  this  distinguished 
preacher  to  Boston.  Whether  this  was  so  or  not,  one  thing 
is  certain  :  viz..  that  Mr.  Ballou  never  harbored  ill-will  against 
the  brethren  who  so  strongly  opposed  his  opinions.  As  Mr. 
"\Vhitternore  writes:  "He  would  often  speak  of  them  with 
affection  ;  and.  when  he  referred  to  his  intercourse  with  some 
of  them  in  early  days,  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  refrain  from 
tears." 2 

As  to  Mr.  Whittemore,  whatever  may  be  said  of  his  for- 
wardness and  persistence  in  defending  the  doctrine  of  no 
future  retribution,  he  never  manifested  the  least  disposition  to 
have  disaffection  stirred  up  among  the  brethren  on  account  of 
their  differences  of  opinion  as  to  God's  punishment  of  his 
children  for  their  sins.  As  he  writes  in  the  Trumpet  of  July 
25,  1840  :  "It  has  been  the  invariable  conviction  of  the  lead- 
ing members  of  the  Universalist  denomination  from  the  be- 
ginning, that  the  doctrine  of  the  final  restitution  is  the  main 
point ;  that  all  who  hold  to  that  doctrine  are  Universalists, 
and  ought  to  bear  the  name  which  Murray  and  Winchester 

1  A  special  account  of  this  movement  is  given  by  Mr.  "Whittemore  in 
his  memoir  of  Ballou,  vol.  iii.  pp.  88-90,  119;  vol.  ii.  pp.  223,  224. 

2  Life  of  Ballou,  vol.  ii.  p.  224. 


116  MEMOIR  OF 

bore,  and  which  the  sect  has  borne  from  the  beginning.  For 
the  twenty  years  that  we  have  been  acquainted  with  the  vener- 
able Hosea  Ballou,  of  this  city,  we  know  that  the  views  here 
expressed  have  been  his  views,  and  we  believe  they  have  been 
the  views  of  our  brethren  generally."  In  reference  to  those 
who  would  magnify  the  difference  between  Universalists  who 
believe  in  future  punishment  and  those  who  do  not,  he  says : 
"  Brethren,  let  us  be  moved  by  none  of  these  things.  Let  us 
all  go  for  union.  Let  us  seek  for  the  things  that  make  for 
peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify  another.  Then 
will  the  Lord  be  our  God,  and  we  shall  prosper  still  more 
abundantly." 

On  Thursdaj',  Oct.  1 ,  the  Universalist  Meeting-house  in 
Concord,  Mass.,  was  dedicated.  Rev.  H.  Ballou  preached 
on  the  occasion.  In  the  afternoon  the  services  of  the  recog- 
nition of  the  church  recently  formed  there,  were  observed. 
A  discourse  was  delivered  by  Mr.  Whittemore,  followed  by 
the  communion  service. 

In  an  editorial  of  the  Trumpet  for  Oct.  17,  he  has  some 
pointed  remarks  on  a  statement  of  Dr.  Lowell,  the  well-known 
Unitarian  divine  of  Boston,  made  in  an  ordination  sermon, 
and  addressed  to  the  candidate :  "I  know  you  will  be  told 
that  you  must  indoctrinate  your  people  with  your  own  theo- 
logical system,  if  you  unfortunately  have  any,  in  self-defence. 
This  language  is  unbecoming  Christians." 

"  What  can  the  good  Doctor  mean  ?  "  asks  Mr.  TVhittemore. 
"  Does  he  object  to  theology  as  such,  or  merely  to  a  system 
of  theology?  Theology  from  deo^  and  ^.oj-o;,1  is  the  doctrine 
of  God,  the  science  of  divine  things.  Hooper,  as  quoted  by 
Dr.  Johnson,  says  :  '  The  whole  drift  of  the  Scripture  of  God, 
what  is  it  but  only  to  teach  theology  ? '  Theology,  what  is  it 
but  the  science  of  divine  things?  Hence,  Dr.  Johnson's 
definition  of  the  term  is  Divinhy.  Dr.  Lowell  is  a  Doctor  of 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  117 

Divinity  ;  and  this  degree  was  a  mark  of  honor,  designed  to 
denote  a  man  who  was  pre-eminently  learned  in  divine  things. 
But  if  Dr.  Lowell  is  so  fortunate  as  to  have  no  system  of 
theology,  then  we  have  at  least  one  Doctor  of  Divinity  with- 
out any  Divinity  !  If  it  be  wrong  to  have  a  system  of  theology, 
is  it  not  improper  to  accept  a  degree  implying  that  a  man  is 
pre-eminently  learned  in  the  Christian  system  ?  What  should 
we  think  of  a  professor  of  philosophy  who  had  no  philosophical 
system  ?  of  a  professor  of  languages  who  had  no  S3*stem  of 
language  ?  What  would  he  teach  his  pupils  ?  and  what  would 
a  Doctor  of  Divinity  teach  his  pupils  if  he  had  no  Divinity  to 
teach  them?  Is  the  sentiment  of  Dr.  Lowell  a  prevalent 
sentiment  among  the  Unitarian  clergy  ?  " 

Mr.  Whittemore  attended  the  sen-ices  of  the  dedication  of 
the  new  meeting-house  in  Xewburyport,  Mass.,  on  Wednes- 
day, Oct.  28,  and  preached  in  the  evening  of  that  day. 

This  year  (1840)  Mr.  Whittemore  was  elected  a  director  of 
the  Cambridge  Bank,  and  in  a  short  time  was  made  its  presi- 
dent. "By  mismanagement  and  misfortune  this  bank  had 
been  seriously  injured,  and  Mr.  Whittemore  went  into  the 
direction  at  the  most  unfavorable  time.  The  stock  sold  at 
about  thirty  per  cent  discount.  He  used  his  influence  to  bring 
the  bank  under  the  management  of  a  board  in  favor  of  re- 
form. The  president,  a  worth}- man,  resigned  his  office;  and 
Mr.  Whittemore  was  immediately  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
institution.  By  the  aid  of  the  new  members,  a  course  of  meas- 
ures was  carried  out,  which  soon  increased  public  confidence. 
Directors  of  unsettled  pecuniary  standing  were  induced  to  re- 
sign ;  the  accommodation  paper  was  gradually  changed  to  that 
of  a  good  business  character  ;  demand  loans  to  directors  were 
called  in  ;  and  by  these  means  the  bank. was  brought  up  to  its 
present  high  condition.  No  bank  in  Massachusetts,  it  may 
truly  be  said,  gave  greater  satisfaction  to  the  Board  of  Bank 


118  MEMOIR   OF 

Commissioners,  at  their  examination  in  1852,  than  the  Bank 
of  Cambridge." 1 

In  Januarj',  1841,  the  committee,  of  which  Mr.  Whittemore 
•was  one,  appointed  by  the  Massachusetts  Convention  to  take 
action  respecting  a  Theological  Seminary,  drew  up  certain 
statutes  for  the  government  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  organ- 
ized the  Board,  and  took  measures  for  the  raising  of  funds  to 
the  amount  of  $50,000.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  one  of  four  to 
subscribe  immediately  $1,000  each. 

It  was  during  this  year  that  the  Washingtonian  Temperance 
Reform  made  its  strong  demonstrations  throughout  the  land. 
Mr.  Whittemore  gave  it  a  hearty  welcome.  "A  holy  name 
applied  to  a  worthy  object.  If  our  great  political  father  can 
look  down  upon  this  lower  world,  and  take  knowledge  of  what 
is  passing  here,  he  will  feel  himself  honored  by  the  applica- 
tion of  his  name  to  a  society  formed  for  purposes  so  truly 
benevolent.  Washington  Temperance  Societies  are  designed 
for  the  benefit  of  drunkards.  None  are  admitted  except 
those  who  need  reformation  ;  the  members  bind  themselves  to 
watch  over  each  other ;  they  respect  the  drunkard  and  pity 
hun  ;  and  they  allow  of  no  sectarian  designs.  We  bid  them 
God  speed." 

In  May  of  this  year,  Rev.  Theodore  Parker  preached  his 
sermon  which  introduced  hun  to  the  public  as  a  rationalist i<* 
teacher,  on  "  The  Transient  and  Permanent  in  Christianity." 
at  the  ordination  of  Rev.  C.  C.  Shackford,  Unitarian  minister 
at  Lynn.  Mr.  Whittemore  spoke  in  very  plain  terms  of  the 
sermon.  lie  considered  it  as  aimed  at  the  root  of  all  revealed 
religion,  and  deeply  lamented  that  such  sentiments  should 
emanate  from  such  a  source.  He  wished  to  know  if  the  theo- 
logical institution  at  Cambridge  gave  countenance  to  such 

1  Biographical  Sketches  of  Eminent  Americans. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  119 

opinions  as  the  discourse  contained.  "  In  some  points  Uni- 
versalists  and  Unitarians  agree ;  but  we  must  say  very 
explicitly,  that  the  sentiments  we  have  quoted  from  this 
sermon  will  find  no  countenance  among  us."  The  Unitarian 
editor  of  the  Christian  Register  said  of  the  discourse,  and 
Mr.  Whittemore  indorsed  his  words:  "If  we  held  its  senti- 
ments, we  should  not  claim  to  be  called  Christian,  nor  con- 
sent to  exercise  the  functions  of  a  Christian  minister." 

Another  meeting  in  the  interests  of  the  proposed  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  was  held  in  Murray  Hall,  Boston,  June  28.  A 
site  had  been  offered  on  which  to  erect  the  building,  —  that 
where  Tufts  College  now  stands.  The  meeting  was  one  of 
much  interest.  Mr.  Whittemore  took  an  active  part  in  it, 
and  plans  were  instituted  for  immediate  operations  in  behalf 
of  the  object. 

A  new  book  of  church  music  by  Mr.  Whittemore  was  now 
ready  for  the  press,  entitled  the  "Gospel  Harmonist."  He 
thought  it  an  improvement  on  the  ' '  Songs  of  Zion "  issued 
five  years  before.  It  was  a  work  of  much  merit  and  had  a 
large  circulation. 

In  August,  he  attended  again  the  Rockingham  Association, 
held  in  Poplin,  N.H.  He  preached  one  of  the  seven  sermons 
delivered  during  the  meetings.  Friends  from  a  large  number 
of  the  towns  in  Rockingham  county  were  present,  the  meet- 
ings were  full  of  interest,  and  the  entertainment  given  to  the 
visitors  b}-  their  friends  in  Poplin  had  in  it  every  expression 
of  the  most  cordial  welcome.  Mr.  Whittemore's  thoughts 
called  up  by  the  meeting  are  characteristic  of  the  writer : 
'  •  There  is  an  inexpressible  satisfaction  in  leaving  the  city, 
with  its  smoky  walls  and  noisy  streets,  and  fleeing  to  the 
hills  and  fields  of  the  country.  There  you  find  quiet.  The 
forests,  fields,  orchards,  grazing  herds  and  flocks,  meet  the 
eye  on  every  side.  You  see  the  ministering  brethren  from 


120  MEMOIR   OF 

the  region  round  about,  every  one  with  a  brother's  heart  beat- 
ing in  his  bosom.  All  feel  happy.  Then  such  a  gathering 
of  friends  !  it  keeps  you  half  the  time  shaking  hands.  Some 
are  in  mourning  ;  and  you  hear  the  story  of  the  sickness  and 
death  of  the  beloved,  how  patient  they  were  in  pain,  how 
resigned  in  death,  how  much  comfort  they  drew  from  their 
faith  in  the  hour  of  death :  others  speak  of  the  living,  of  new 
connections  formed,  some  absent  friend  returned,  some  new 
society  or  preacher  in-  their  vicinity,  or,  what  is  always  re- 
garded as  of  no  small  importance,  the  conversion  of  some 
friend  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Perhaps  the  new  convert 
is  there,  and  desires  to  be  introduced  to  you.  His  heart  is 
full  to  tell  you  of  his  joys  and  to  ask  forgiveness  for  the  hard 
things  he  has  said  ;  and  how  readily  do  we  forgive  him  when 
'  we  wot  that  through  ignorance  he  did  it.'  The  feelings  that 
gave  rise  to  these  remarks  are  such  as  we  brought  home  from 
Poplin  ;  and  we  trust  they  will  abide  with  us." 

Another  "Seminary"  meeting  was  held  in  Brinley  Hall, 
Worcester,  Sept.  2.  It  was  well  attended,  and  a  deep  anxiety 
was  manifested  that  the  work  should  be  forwarded.  Spirited 
addresses  were  made  by  fifteen  or  more  speakers, —  M  r.  Whit- 
temore  among  them ;  and  another  meeting  was  proposed,  to 
be  held  in  Boston  in  October. 

The  United  States  Convention  was  held  this  year  in  New 
York.  The  attendance  was  very  large,  that  of  the  ministers 
being  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty.  The  Occasional  Dis- 
course—  a  very  able  and  timely  one  —  was  preached  by  Rev. 
T.  J.  Sawyer.  Mr.  AVhittemore  was  present,  and  speaks 
highly  of  the  session  and  its  work.  Resolutions  favoring  the 
Theological  Seminary  were  zealously  discussed  and  unani- 
mously passed. 

The  meeting  in  behalf  of  the  new  institution  was  held 
agreeable  to  appointment,  in  Murray  Hall,  Boston,  Oct.  16. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  121 

Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin  delivered  a  very  able  and  acceptable  ad- 
dress at  the  meeting,  and  was  requested  to  repeat  the  same 
on  some  Sunday  evening  in  the  School  Street  church. 

Another  religious  excitement  came  up  in  Boston  and 
vicinity  about  this  time,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  Jacob 
Knapp  and  his  advisers.  In  his  paper  of  Jan.  15,  1842, 
31  r.  Whittemore  takes  occasion  to  speak  plainly  of  the  revi- 
valist and  his  doings.  He  regards  him  as  a  bitter  and  reck- 
less partisan,  indulging  in  strains  of  invective  against  other 
classes  of  Christians,  especially  Universalists,  towards  whom 
he  seemed  to  have  a  veiy  hearty  feeling  of  opposition.  He 
had  at  times  grossly  attacked,  from  the  pulpit,  persons  who 
differed  from  him  in  religious  opinion,  and  had  been  appre- 
hended in  Rhode  Island  to  answer  in  an  alleged  slander, 
uttered  from  the  pulpit,  on  a  widow  in  Providence.  As  a 
professional  revivalist,  however,  his  presence  and  work  in 
Boston  were  sought  by  some  of  the  Baptist  clergymen ;  while 
the  venerable  Dr.  Sharp,  as  in  the  case  of  31  r.  Miller,  repro- 
bated the  course  of  Mr.  Knapp  and  would  hold  no  fellowship 
with  him.  Mr.  Whittemore  said :  "  We  must  express  the 
conviction  that  there  is  a  retribution  in  store  for  those  pas- 
tors and  churches  who  have  been  instrumental  in  bringing 
Mr.  Knapp  to  Boston."  The  religious  press  that  sustained 
him  were  somewhat  sharply  criticised,  in  which  course  Mr. 
Whittemore  deemed  it  just  to  take  a  part.  Among  those  to 
whom  he  especially  addresses  himself  is  the  editor  of  the 
Baptist  Christian  Watchman.  In  reply  to  certain  strong 
denunciations  by  this  editor  of  those  who  oppose  and  expose 
the  course  of  Mr.  Knapp,  he  says:  "We  advise  him  to  sit 
down  for  a  while  at  the  feet  of  such  men  as  President  Wayland, 
Dr.  Sharp,  and  Professor  Sears,  and  peradvcnture  by  and 
by  he  will  be  a  wiser  man.  The  divisions  and  animosities 
which  we  predicted  have  already  begun  to  appear ;  and  many 


122  MEMOIR  OF 

serious-minded  church-members  regret  that  Mr.  Knapp  ever 
came  among  us.  Let  the  consequences  fall  on  those  who 
brought  him  here." 

In  March,  a  little  volume  of  144  pages  from  the  pen  of 
Rev.  O.  A.  Skinner,  of  Boston,  appeared,  entitled  "Letters 
to  Revs.  B.  Stowe,  R.  H.  Neale,  and  R.  W.  Cushman,  on 
Modern  Revivals."  Religious  excitements  like  the  one  under 
Mr.  Knapp's  ministrations,  and  his  in  particular,  are  reviewed 
with  much  wisdom  and  Christian  faithfulness.  The  pastors 
named  on  the  title-page  are  addressed  because  of  their  in- 
strumentality in  giving  force  and  effectiveness  to  Mr.  Knapp's 
movements. 

In  the  spring  of  this  season,  Mr.  Whittemore  had  frequent 
calls  to  deliver  temperance  lectures,  —  one  at  Jamaica  Plain, 
in  the  Unitarian  church,  —  on  which  occasion  more  than  one 
hundred  signed  the  pledge  of  total  abstinence  ;  one  at  Cabot- 
ville,  in  the  Universalist  church,  to  a  very  large  crowd  of 
listeners  ;  one  at  Hingham,  in  the  ancient  church  there,  which 
was  filled  to  overflowing ;  one  at  Petersham,  in  the  Univer- 
salist church ;  one  at  Dedham,  at  the  Town  House,  which 
was  densely  crowded.  He  is  enthusiastically  alive  in  the 
Washingtonian  reform. 

Mr.  Whittemore  republishes  about  this  tune  an  old  book, 
entitled  "The  Doctrine  of  Endless  Hell  Torments  Over- 
thrown," partly  original  and  partly  selected,  containing  Dr. 
Hartley's  Defence  of  Universalism.  The  book  was  issued 
more  than  two  hundred  years  ago  in  England,  and  had  never 
before  appeared  in  America. 

In  the  issue  of  his  paper  of  May  7th,  he  has  an  article 
stating  some  of  bis  conclusions  after  twenty  years'  experience 
in  the  ministry  of  Universalism.  He  thinks  he  may  safely 
say,  1.  That  "we  are  more  and  more  confirmed  in  the 
belief,  that  the  distinguishing  doctrine  of  our  church,  viz., 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  123 

the  final  holiness  and  happiness  of  all  men,  is  the  doctrine  of 
the  Scriptures.  All  our  reading,  all  our  intercourse  with 
other  sects,  and  the  very  opposition  we  have  encountered, 
have  tended  to  confirm  it.  Other  sects  themselves  are  fast 
coming  to  the  belief.  2.  The  experience  of  these  years  con- 
firms us,  in  general,  in  our  views  of  those  texts  generally 
denominated  the  threatenings.  3.  This  same  experience 
shows  us  that  Universalism  is  consonant  with  a  life  of  piety, 
benevolence,  devotion,  and  prayer.  This  was  once  very 
seriously  doubted  by  those  of  the  contrary  part,  but  they  are 
fast  changing  their  views  in  this  matter.  Our  fathers  did 
well  in  the  hard  pioneer  work  they  had  to  do.  We  enter  into 
their  labors  ;  but  our  work  is  not  precisely  like  theirs.  What 
shall  we  do?  Just  what  they  would  do  if  they  stood  in  our 
places, — press  forward.  Let  us  bring  to  maturity  the  seed 
they  planted.  There  is  a  moral  power  in  Universalism  which 
every  man  must  feel  who  gives  up  his  heart  to  the  doctrine. 
Let  us  endeavor  to  bring,  first  ourselves,  and  then  others, 
into  that  sweet  and  holy  influence.  Let  us  cultivate  a  living 
faith,  and  never  be  for  a  moment  content  with  a  dead  one. 
Our  faith  works  by  love  and  purifies  the  heart.  What  faith 
can  do  better  ?  " 

He  realizes  at  this  time  much  gratification  in  the  Union 
meetings  for  conference  and  prayer  held  in  the  different 
churches  in  East  Cambridge.  Unitarians,  Methodists,  and 
Universalists  all  join.  Mr.  Whitternore  speaks  of  the  ad- 
dress of  Rev.  Mr.  Willson,  the  Methodist  clergyman,  at  one 
of  the  meetings,  as  one  of  the  most  catholic  and  excellent  to 
which  he  ever  listened.  Of  the  conferences  he  said:  "We 
prayed  together,  sung  together,  and  exhorted  each  other  to 
love  and  good  works.  We  wish  that  such  meetings  might  be 
held  in  all  our  towns.  How  much  would  they  diminish  the 
evils  of  sectarianism.  Lord,  let  thy  kingdom  come  and  be 
established  in  all  our  hearts  !  "  Again  he  writes  :  — 


124  MEMOIR   OF 

"It  is  not  religion,  but  sectarianism  that  keeps  men  at  a 
distance  from  each  other.  This  the  Christian  world  is  begin- 
ning to  see.  Sometimes  we  are  encouraged  to  hope  that  at 
no  very  distant  period  there  will  be  a  great  change  come  over 
the  church.  When  that  time  shall  come,  and  Christians  shall 
all  work  together  for  Christ,  what  a  power  will  the  church 
exercise.  The  voice  of  love  will  be  heard  in  all  our  dwell- 
ings. Her  brightness  will  be  above  the  brightness  of  the 
sun.  Brethren,  one  and  all,  let  us  pray  for  that  day.  Such 
will  be  the  true  coming  of  Christ.  Come,  Lord  Jesus  !  " 

Of  the  earnestness  of  effort  in  the  Temperance  cause  on 
the  part  of  Universalists,  he  thus  speaks  :  — 

"It  is  pleasing  to  see  by  the  newspapers  how  often  Tem- 
perance lectures  are  given  in  Universalist  churches.  Our 
clergy,  too,  come  up  nobly  to  the  work.  Brother  Chapin  of 
Charlestown  is  winning  golden  opinions  b}r  his  pre-eminently 
useful  labors  in  this  cause.  Brother  Spear  of  Wej'mouth  and 
Brother  Thompson  of  South  Dedham  enter  heart  and  soul 
into  the  work.  Indeed,  so  general  is  the  zeal  of  our  clergy 
in  this  great  and  good  work,  that  it  is  almost  invidious  to  dis- 
criminate. Let  the  work  go  on.  God's  blessing  will  rest 
upon  it." 

The  United  States  Convention  held  its  session  this  year 
in  Providence,  R.I.  Rev.  I.  D.  Williamson  preached  the 
Occasional  Discourse.  There  was  a  large  attendance.  Mr. 
Whittemore  took  part  in  the  excellent  conference  meetings, 
and  officiated  with  Rev.  S.  Streeter  at  the  communion  table. 
The  discourse  of  this  occasion  was  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin  on 
"  The  Tenderness  of  Jesus."  Mr.  Whittemore  said  of  the 
discourse:  "It  had  passages  of  strong  reasoning,  of  great 
power,  and  of  inimitable  tenderness  :  it  convinced,  it  thrilled, 
it  melted  the  audience."  It  was  at  this  Convention  that  Rev. 
Hosea  Ballou  2d  preached  in  the  Unitarian  church,  opened 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  125 

for  the  occasion,  a  most  searching  discourse  on  "  Honesty  in 
maintaining  Religious  Truth."  His  definition  of  Christian 
charity  was  long  remembered  by  many  who  heard  it : 

"By  charity  we  mean  the  reality,  not  the  mere  pretence. 
We  mean  that  pure  spirit  of  heaven  whose  eye  is  all  light, 
and  whose  heart  all  tenderness,  who  sees  things  as  they  are, 
and  calls  them  by  their  right  names.  People  do  wrong  to 
screen  their  sheer  indifference  to  truth  under  her  sacred  name. 
Whom  do  they  take  charity  to  be  ?  an  idiot,  with  great  moony 
eyes  and  a  stolid  countenance,  who  knows  only  to  babble 
'  good,  good,'  at  every  thing  she  meets  !  This  is  not  charity  : 
it  is  stupidity  ;  or,  worse,  hypocrisy." 

There  was  a  meeting  of  much  interest  in  Marblehead,  in 
December,  which  Mr.  Whittemore  attended ;  the  first  of  a 
series  which  followed.  Nearly  four  hundred  went  from  Salem. 
He  writes  of  it:  "Ever}-  eye  and  ear  was  open.  The  duty 
of  self-examination  was  enforced,  and  the  Gospel  as  exempli- 
fied in  the  character  of  Jesus  was  commended  to  all  as  a  rule 
by  which  to  guide  our  lives.  Several  who  had  been  in  the 
bonds  of  error  spoke.  God  had  opened  their  eyes  and 
revealed  himself,  and  they  were  now  at  peace.  Persons  not 
there  cannot  imagine  the  interest  of  the  services.  The  next 
meeting  is  to  be  at  Danvers,  and  there  will  be  a  crowd.  We 
shall  be  there  if  possible." 

He  is  quite  interested  in  an  article  in  a  new  Unitarian 
paper,  The  Christian  World,  edited  by  Mr.  George  E.  Chan- 
ning,  brother  of  the  late  Dr.  Chaiming.  The  article  is  enti- 
tled, "  Condition  and  Wants  of  Unitarianism."  The  writer, 
Mr.  Channiug.  argues  that  one  great  want  of  the  Unitarians 
is  greater  life,  zeal,  activity.  "Men  say,  '  the  Unitarian 
doctrines  seem  reasonable  ;  but  the  orthodox  are  doing  more, 
are  more  iu  earnest,  seem  awake  and  alive.  It  is  no  answer 
to  this  to  say,  —  Their  zeal  is  sectarian,  proselyting,  and  a 


126  MEMOIR  OF 

party  spirit  —  they  are  driven  on  by  fear  of  hell.'  Be  it  so  ; 
but  why  do  you  not  do  more  then  ?  If  you  are  moved  by 
higher  motives,  why  do  you  not  perform  greater  actions? 
The  effort  of  the  denomination  should  now  be  to  realize  its 
own  convictions  more  deeply,  so  as  to  be  quickened  by  them 
into  a  profounder  life.  The  time  has  come  when  we  should 
adopt  new  measures  for  promoting  this  spirit.  We  should 
be  ready  to  make  use  of  every  expedient  to  awaken  the 
soul,  —  whether  by  social  meetings,  improvement  in  the  forms 
of  worship,  lay  preaching,  or  whatever  else  may  be  adapted 
to  interest  and  edify.  Our  doctrines  also  need  to  be  consid- 
ered and  modified.  They  were  formed  in  order  to  reply  to 
opponents.  We  now  need  to  put  them  in  forms  which  will 
enable  us  to  apply  them  to  our  own  consciences  and  hearts. 
They  must  be  stated  so  as  to  mean  as  much  and  not  as  little 
as  possible.  We  have  been  too  much  in  the  habit  of  sayiug 
that  conversion  only  means  so  and  so ;  that  regeneration 
means  nothing  more  than  this,  repentance  is  nothing  but  that, 
&c.  Now  we  need  to  see  that  repentance  and  conversion 
mean  a  great  deal,  and  to  say  so." 

Mr.  Whittemore  takes  occasion  to  give  these  suggestions 
of  his  Unitarian  brother  in  the  main  a  hearty  indorsement, 
and  to  commend  them  with  much  earnestness  to  the  attention 
of  Universalists.  He  thinks  that  not  a  few  of  them  may  I  it- 
benefited  by  taking  heed  to  these  words  of  their  neighbor : 
"  Let  Universalists  take  these  hints.  Here  is  a  testimony 
borne  to  the  utility  of  conference  meetings.  Let  every 
Universalist  meeting-house  hereafter  built,  be  furnished  with 
a  good  vestry.  Let  the  laymen  employ  their  gifts  :  it  must 
be  done ;  and,  where  there  are  no  objections,  let  women  do 
the  same  if  moved  thereunto.  We  have  heard  women  speak 
with  great  propriety  and  profit  in  social  meetings.  While  we 
see  Christians  of  all  denominations  awaking  to  these  things, 
let  not  Universalists  any  longer  sleep.  Awake,  awake  !  " 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  127 


CHAPTER     VII. 

1843-1844. 
AGED     43-44. 

Conferences  at  Danvers,  Lynn,  Charlestown,  Cambridgeport,  Salem,  East 
Cambridge  —  Conference  Hymn-book  —  Conference  at  School  Street 
Church:  at  Xewburyport  —  Discourse  on  Modern  History  of  Univer- 
salisin  —  Answer  to  the  question,  Has  Universalism  changed?  —  Con- 
ference at  West  Cambridge,  Woburn  —  Massachusetts  Convention  at 
Plymouth  —  Dedication  at  Saco,  Me. —  Conference  at  South  Reading 
—  Meeting  at  Winchester,  N.H.  —  Rockingham  Association  —  Journey 
to  the  West — Visit  to  Niagara  Falls  —  Buffalo — U.S.  Convention 
at  Akron,  0.  —  Accident  returning  from  Hingham  —  Conferences  at 
Marblehead,  Lynn,  Danvers — Improper  singing — Massachusetts 
Convention  at  Worcester  —  Notice  of  an  accusation  —  Tour  to  the 
White  Mountains. 

A  SPIRITED  conference  was  held  at  Danvers  on  Feb.  1, 
1843.  It  commenced  in  the  midst  of  a  driving  snow-storm 
which  continued  through  the  day.  There  was  a  large  gather- 
ing, however ;  in  the  afternoon  the  house  was  completely 
filled,  including  aisles  and  pulpit  stairs.  Mr.  Whittemore, 
who  had  reached  the  place  by  a  ride  of  fifteen  miles  in  the 
face  of  the  storm,  and  who  arrived,  as  he  sa^-s,  "  clothed  in 
white,"  thus  writes  of  the  exercises  :  — 

' '  There  was  evidently  a  great  expectation  of  a  good  meet- 
ing. The  remarks  of  the  speakers  were  generally  on  the 
power  of  religion  to  purify  and  exalt  the  affections,  and  to 
give  joy  to  the  soul.  And  one  very  pleasing  circumstance  in 
regard  to  the  meeting  was.  that  the  lay  brethren  were  ready 
and  willing,  yea,  even  anxious  to  speak.  We  do  unfeignedly 


128  MEMOIR   OF 

rejoice  in  this  increase  of  interest  on  their  part.  It  promises 
great  good  to  our  churches ;  it  is  bringing  on  our  brighter 
days."  Of  the  evening  meeting  he  writes:  "It  was  ap- 
pointed to  commence  at  six, — too  early  as  many  thought. 
AVe  went  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  the  time,  and  with  much 
difficulty  succeeded  in  forcing  a  passage  through  the  aisle  to 
the  pulpit  stairs.  Two  other  meetings  were  held  by  other 
sects  at  the  same  time ;  but  many  of  their  usual  attendants 
were  at  our  conference.  We  cannot  give  the  names  of  the 
many  speakers.  The  laymen  seemed  to  take  the  lead.  It 
was  inquired  by  some  brother  if  there  were  none  out  by  the 
door  whose  hearts  vibrated  to  the  emotions  that  had  been 
expressed.  Whereupon  a  brother  in  one  of  the  front  corners 
of  the  house  gave  us  an  impressive  address.  It  was  then 
asked  if  the  hearts  in  the  other  front  section  were  not  respon- 
sive. An  affirmative  answer  was  immediately  given  by  a 
brother  who  proceeded  to  address  the  congregation.  From 
this  the  suggestion  arose,  that  the  gallery  was  the  only  part  of 
the  house  that  was  backward.  A  brother  then  arose  in  the 
gallery,  and  spoke  with  deep  feeling."  The  next  conference 
was  appointed  to  be  at  Lynn. 

Of  this  meeting,  which  was  in  the  midst  of  a  storm.  Mr. 
AVhittemore  writes:  ""We  found  the  friends  in  Lynn  in  low 
spirits.  They  knew  not  what  to  do.  Should  the  meeting  be 
put  off  or  be  held?  For  very  few  had  arrived  from  neighbor- 
ing towns.  It  was  agreed  that  the  meeting  should  be  held  at 
two  P.M.  Before  that  time,  the  friends  came  pouring  in  from 
Salem.  Darners.  ;ind  Marblehead.  as  the  railroad  trains  had 
been  delayed  by  the  snow.  The  large  Lyceum  Hall,  engaiivl 
for  the  occasion,  was  filled.  Many  of  the  laymen  engaged 
in  the  services ;  and  we  thought  that  we  had  never  heard 
the  singing  equalled  on  such  an  occasion."  The  evening 
meeting  was  of  still  greater  interest,  if  possible.  Impressive 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  129 

confessions  were  made  as  to  the  reformatory  power  of  Uni- 
versalism  drawn  from  personal  experiences.  Rev.  B.  F. 
Xewhall  of  Saugus,  who  had  embraced  the  faith  a  year  or 
two  before,  made  a  very  acceptable  address.  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  affirmed  that  it  was  a  large,  happy,  and  profitable 
meeting. 

The  conferences  continue  ;  one  is  held  in  Charlestown.  Mr. 
AVhittemore,  who  was  present  in  the  evening,  says  of  it: 
"The  speakers  all  seemed  to  have  one  object  in  view, — 
the  promotion  of  the  spiritual  interests  of  men,  the  increase 
of  divine  knowledge,  the  quickening  of  zeal,  the  importance 
of  purity  of  life  and  a  godly  conversation,  and  the  neces- 
sity of  our  sympathizing  with  the  distressed  and  sorrowing. 
The  lajinen  took  part  in  the  exercises  in  all  the  meetings." 

The  next  conference  was  in  Cambridgeport.  The  friends 
there  welcomed  it  heavtity.  During  the  morning  exercises, 
Father  Ballou  spoke  of  the  propriety  and  benefit  of  such 
assemblies.  He  referred  to  the  customs  of  the  Jews  in  ordain- 
ing gatherings  and  festivals,  —  such  as  the  feast  of  the  pass- 
over,  of  pentecost,  of  tabernacles,  —  not  only  to  perpetuate  the 
remembrance  of  great  events  and  to  worship  God,  but  also 
to  cultivate  social  feeh'ugs,  to  repress  sectional  jealousies,  and 
to  keep  alive  the  flame  of  love  which  ought  ever  to  burn  in 
our  hearts.  Father  Sebastian  Streeter  made  a  thrilling  speech. 
The  lajTnen  took  a  good  part  in  the  exercises.  A  large  num- 
ber of  the  ministers  of  neighboring  parishes  were  present. 
In  the  evening,  Father  Ballou  gave  a  deeply  interesting  ac- 
count of  his  conversion  to  Universalism.  And,  in  reference 
to  the  experiences  of  his  own  ministry,  he  remarked,  with 
much  feeling,  "  I  have  seen  so  much  of  the  triumphs  of  truth, 
have  seen  the  cause  blessed  so  much  beyond  my  expectations, 
that  I  sometimes  feel  like  Simeon  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
ready  to  depart." 


130  MKMOIR  OF 

Mr.  Whittemore  said  of  the  meeting:  "It  was  the  more 
interesting  to  us  because  it  was  holden  in  the  place  of  our 
residence,  and  gave  us  the  opportunity  to  receive  at  our  own 
house  some  of  the  friends  whose  hospitalities  we  had  enjoyed 
at  other  places.  It  also  enabled  the  church  of  which  we  are 
a  member  to  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  such  a  meeting,  and  we 
hope  to  reap  a  rich  harvest  of  profit  from  it." 

Another  conference  was  held  in  Salem.  Between  1,500 
and  2,000  persons  were  in  attendance  at  the  Universalist 
church.  The  account  of  the  meetings,  day  and  evening,  fills 
three  columns  of  the  Trumpet.  Ministers  and  laymen  were 
equally  free  and  earnest  in  their  addresses  and  prayers. 
Various  churches  were  reported  by  their  ministers.  Vital 
piety,  devotion  in  the  home,  and  Christian  consecration  at  all 
times,  were  repeatedly  and  forcibly  urged. 

East  .Cambridge  was  next  visited.  The  conference  there 
was  on  March  20.  The  Universalist  chapel  in  the  place  being 
small,  the  Methodist  church  was  at  the  service  of  the  attend- 
ants at  the  meetings ;  and  these  were  of  notable  interest ; 
Methodists,  Orthodox,  Universalists,  all  holding  sweet  and 
profitable  communion.  Rev.  Mr.  Willson,  pastor  of  the 
Methodist  church,  was  especially  happy.  He  acknowledged 
all  men  as  Christians  who  had  the  Spirit  of  the  Master. 
He  wanted  heaven  while  here  on  earth.  Father  Ballou 
and  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin  followed  in  warm  responsive  words. 
An  Orthodox  layman  said,  "  How  little  my  church  brethren 
know  of  Universalism.  If  this  is  it,  I  say  '  Amen '  to 
it !  Let  it  spread  abroad  !  "  Rev.  Mr.  Lambert,  of  the 
Unitarian  church,  made  a  timely  and  fervent  address.  Many 
la3Tnen  spoke. 

A  second  book  of  "  Conference  Hymns"  was  published  by 
Mr.  "NVhittemore  about  this  time.  It  was  intended  as  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  first  one  issued  by  him ;  was  of  the  same 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  131 

size,  and  they  could  be  bound  separately  or  together.  Both 
books  were  quite  extensively  used. 

The  next  conference  of  the  churches  was  held  at  the 
School  Street  church,  in  Boston,  on  Tuesday,  June  4.  Father 
Ballou  opened  the  morning  meeting  most  appropriatel}".  He 
dwelt  upon  the  importance  of  Christian  union.  There  was  a 
large  attendance,  and  some  of  the  most  truthful  and  earnest 
utterances  of  the  doctrinal  and  practical  excellencies  of  the 
Gospel  of  Universalism.  Ministers  and  laymen  were  alike  in 
readiness  to  take  parts  in  the  exercises.  The  report  of  the 
meetings  b}T  Mr.  Whittemore  is  a  lively  one,  and  fills  three 
columns  of  his  paper. 

The  next  day  he  was  present  at  a  conference  in  Newbury- 
port,  which  is  reported  in  the  Trumpet.  It  was  not  so  largely 
attended  as  some  of  the  others,  but  was  a  gathering  of  much 
interest,  and  a  very  wakeful  and  profitable  occasion.  Many 
ministers  and  laymen  were  speakers.  Mr.  Whittemore  said, 
in  one  of  his  speeches  :  "  We  read  in  the  Bible  of  a  certain 
pool  at  Jerusalem,  which,  when  the  water  was  stirred,  had 
great  medicinal  qualities.  It  reminded  him  of  the  Gospel 
pool,  which  he  hoped  would  be  stirred  mightily  that  day  : 
and  he  hoped  that  even  the  poor  old  cripple  who  had  had 
an  infirmity  thirty-eight  years  would  this  day  go  into  the 
pool.  Jesus  now  said  to  him,  '  Arise,  take  up  thy  bed  and 
walk.'  Jacob  said,  when  he  wrestled  with  the  angel,  '  I  will 
not  let  thee  go  except  thou  bless  me.'  We  must  do  the 
same  with  this  meeting,  —  determine  that  it  shall  not  pass 
by  without  blessing  us.  He  spoke  of  individual  duty,  —  that 
each  one  should  resolve  to  watch  over  and  take  care  of  one 
heart ;  this  will  make  your  society  prosper,  and  yon  will  grow 
in  the  grace  of  Christ."  He  justifies  himself  in  giving  full 
reports  of  these  meetings  by  saying:  "We  do  not  believe 
there  are,  in  any  department  of  either  sacred  or  secular  science, 


132  MEMOIR    OF 

any  subjects  of  more  importance  than  those  discussed  in  these 
meetings." 

In  the  Trumpet  of  April  2  of  this  year,  is  published  a  dis- 
course of  Mr.  Whittemore,  on  "  The  Modern  History  of  Uni- 
versalism."  One  of  a  series  of  ten  discourses  delivered  a  vein- 
previous  by  Universalist  ministers  in  Boston  and  vicinity  ;  a 
very  comprehensive  and  instructive  presentation  of  the  sub- 
ject. One  passage  in  it  we  cannot  refrain  from  quoting. 
Speaking  of  Universalism,  he  says  :  "  When  the  church  grew 
corrupt  the  light  of  this  doctrine  grew  dim ;  its  holy  tires 
almost  expired ;  gross  darkness  reigned ;  and  no  gleam  of 
light  was  seen  except  an  occasional  ray,  when  some  daring 
hand  stirred  the  smouldering  embers  of  truth.  But,  when 
the  Reformation  broke  out,  Universalism  arose  with  it.  It  is 
a  planet  whose  orbit  is  near  the  sun.  In  the  fall  of  night,  it 
was  the  evening  star,  that  lingered  for  a  while  above  the  hori- 
zon to  reflect  the  beams  of  the  departing  orb  of  truth  ;  in  the 
Reformation,  it  was  the  morning  star,  harbinger  of  a  bright 
and  glorious  day.  May  we  not  use  the  language  of  Milton  :  — 

" '  Fairest  of  stars,  last  in  the  train  of  night, 
If  better  thou  belong  not  to  the  dawn, 
Sure  pledge  of  day  that  crown'st  the  smiling  morn 
With  thy  bright  circlet.' " 

Another  conference  was  held  at  Roxbury,  April  18.  Rev. 
C.  H.  Fay,  the  resident  pastor,  opened  it,  and  the  exercises 
were  of  deep  interest  throughout.  Ministers  and  laymen 
were  in  readiness  to  carry  them  on.  Most  of  the  addresses 
were  strongly  practical.  Mr.  Whittemore  says  of  his  report 
of  it :  "  We  did  not  intend  that  it  should  be  so  long,  and  made 
a  serious  attempt  to  abridge  it ;  but  what  could  we  leave  out? 
It  is  all  good.  Carefully  read  and  meditate  upon  it." 

An  editorial  in  the  Trumpet  of  May  (i.  attempts  an  answer 
to  the  question,  "Has  Universalism  changed?"  Another 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  133 

church  journal  has  just  been  provoking  this  query  by  criti- 
cising rather  pointedly  the  awakened  religious  interest  ap- 
parent in  the  Universalist  churches.  This  writer  says,  in 
substance  :  "  After  all  their  reproach  of  revivals,  night  meet- 
ings, excitements,  and  protracted  meetings,  the  Universalists 
are  going  fully  into  the  same  measures.  They  recommend 
the  organization  of  churches  ;  make  much  displa}-  of  immer- 
sion ;  use  conference  hymns  ;  sing  exciting  tunes  ;  advise  the 
laity  to  take  part  in  exhortation  and  prayer ;  and  even  the 
sisters  hold  not  their  peace.  In  this  we  rejoice  :  it  is  the  in- 
dication of  awakened  religious  sensibility.  They  are  obliged 
to  do  homage  to  the  religious  spirit  abroad  in  the  land,  and 
tacitly  confess  that  all  their  past  denunciations  of  the  ortho- 
dox and  their  measures  were  false  and  unjust ;  and  no  severer 
penance  would  we  inflict  than  to  keep  them  hot  at  work  at 
conference  and  pra\'er  meetings  ;  for  if  '  this  kind  goeth  not 
out'  by  argument  and  scripture,  it  will  flee  at  the  approach 
of  this  orthodox  machinery,  and  Universalism  will  be  num- 
bered with  the  things  that  were." 

Mr.  Whittemore  promptly  and  squarely  replies  to  these 
cool  insinuations,  by  assuring  the  writer  of  them  that  Univer- 
salists have  never  reproached  revivals  of  pure  religion,  but 
have  endeavored  to  distinguish  between  these  and  merely 
animal  excitement  produced  b}'  false  doctrines.  "  We 
have."  says  he.  "always  been  in  favor  of  any  excitement 
which  the  plain  preaching  of  the  truth  will  produce  ;  and  as 
to  night  meetings  Universalists  have  always  been  in  the  habit 
of  having  evening  lectures  ever  since  we  knew  them.  It  is 
out  of  place  for  this  editor  to  talk  of  '  new  measures.'  His 
own  sect  has  adopted  them.  Once  it  was  as  much  opposed 
to  night  meetings  as  anybody  else,  and  used  to  preach  vehe- 
mently against  the  operations  of  Methodists  and  Baptists. 
As  to  churches,  the}'  have  long  existed  among  us  ;  so  have 


134  MEMOIR   OF 

meetings  for  conference  and  prayer.  Baptism  by  immersion 
has  been  practised  by  some  of  our  clergy  for  years.  As  to 
conference  hymns,  we  calculate  to  keep  up  with  the  spirit  of 
the  times  in  that  matter,  and  do  not  intend  that  other  sects 
shall  have  better  conference  hymns  than  we.  We  do  in 
truth  advise  the  brethren  to  take  part  in  exhortation  and 
prayer,  and  are  happy  to  add  that  our  advice  has  not  been 
altogether  without  effect.  Our  neighbor  speaks  as  though 
conference  and  prayer  meetings  were  to  us  a  kind  of  penance. 
What  an  error  !  They  are  seasons  of  high  satisfaction.  We 
love  them.  It  would  be  a  penance  to  be  deprived  of  them. 
If  our  friend  flatters  himself  that  the  present  course  of  Uni- 
versalists  is  to  prove  fatal  to  their  doctrine,  he  is  amazingly 
deceived.  We  do  advise  him  to  be  correct  about  something : 
he  is  wrong  in  almost  every  position  he  has  taken.  Univer- 
salism  will  never  go  down.  It  is  the  doctrine  of  God ;  it  is 
precious  to  the  benevolent  heart ;  it  is  God's  answer  to  the 
prayers  of  all  true  Christians.  It  will  prosper  ;  and  the  con- 
ference meetings  among  us  may  well  alarm  those  who  are  our 
enemies,  for  they  are  giving  a  fresh  impulse  to  the  cause  of 
truth." 

Another  conference  was  held  in  West  Cambridge  (now 
Arlington),  on  the  2d  of  May.  The  resident  pastor,  Rev. 
Mr.  Waldo,  being  quite  ill,  he  had  invited  Father  Ballou  to 
take  charge  of  the  morning  meeting.  lie  gave  a  hearty  ad- 
dress of  welcome  to  all  the  attendants,  and  an  invitation  to 
both  clergy  and  laity  present  to  occupy  the  time  as  profitably 
as  possible.  The  meeting  through  the  day  was  one  of  much 
fervor.  Mr.  Whittemore  took  a  conspicuous  part  in  the 
services. 

A  conference  at  Woburn  followed.  May  16.  It  was  much 
like  the  one  at  West  Cambridge,  and  was  well  attended. 
Mr.  Whittemore  was  unable  to  be  present.  On  May  30, 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  135 

there  was  another  conference  at  Waltham.  Rev.  E.  A.  Eaton, 
the  resident  pastor,  made  an  address  of  welcome.  The  at- 
tendance through  the  day  was  good.  Father  Ballou,  Mr. 
Whittemore,  and  others  of  the  ministers,  were  in  their  hap- 
piest moods,  and  the  laymen  seemed  to  have  much  freedom 
of  speech.  Mr.  Whittemore  writes:  "We  set  down  this 
occasion  as  one  of  the  most  profitable  we  have  ever  en- 
joyed." 

In  June  of  this  year,  the  Massachusetts  Convention  held 
its  annual  session  in  Plymouth.  It  was  a  well- attended  and 
happy  meeting.  The  Occasional  Discourse  was  delivered  by 
Rev.  L.  AYillis.  Stirring  conferences  were  held.  Mr.  Whit- 
temore writes  of  the  meeting :  ' '  The  place  of  meeting  was 
the  spot  where  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  first  came  when  they  fled 
from  religious  oppression  in  the  Old  World,  to  enjoy  un- 
molested their  rights  of  conscience  in  this  wilderness  home. 
Since  their  day  how  had  this  home  changed !  How  had 
bigotry  and  error  receded  before  the  irresistible  power  of  re- 
ligious freedom  and  heavenly  love  !  The  friends  of  our  cause 
in  this  place  are  among  the  strongest  and  best.  The  religious 
feeling  in  the  place  was  in  our  favor.  This  was  manifest  in  the 
numbers  of  other  sects  present  at  our  meetings.  At  our  confer- 
ence on  Thursday  evening,  Rev.  Mr.  Briggs,  colleague  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Kendall,  of  the  Old  First  Church,  addressed  the  audience 
in  some  very  happy  remarks,  commending  the  spirit  mani- 
fested in  the  meeting,  and  assuring  us  of  his  desire  to  meet 
it  with  a  corresponding  spirit  of  charity." 

On  Wednesday,  June  21,  the  Universalist  Church  in  Saco, 
Me.,  was  dedicated.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the  sermon. 
From  this  place  he  came  to  South  Reading,  and  attended  and 
took  part  in  a  very  spirited  conference  meeting  there  held  on 
the  22d.  A  church  was  recognized.  Seven  candidates  were 
baptized  by  Rev.  S.  Streeter,  who  wisely  and  earnestly  ad- 


136  MEMOIR  OF 

vised  them.  The  members  of  the  church,  about  forty  in 
number,  were  then  addressed  by  Mr.  "Whittemore,  who  ex- 
tended the  hand  of  fellowship  to  them  through  their  pastor, 
Rev.  J.  H.  Willis.  Father  Streeter's  words  at  the  communion 
service  were  very  appropriate.  After  the  silence  during  the 
distribution  of  the  elements,  he  remarked,  Earth  has  no 
scene  like  this  :  how  calm,  how  sweet !  The  best  feelings  of 
our  nature  are  called  into  exercise  here.  How  we  long  that 
all  divisions  throughout  the  world  should  come  to  an  end ! 
He  referred  to  the  heavenly  rest  hereafter.  What  countless 
hosts  will  commune  there !  He  spoke  of  the  great  hosts  on 
Bunker's  Hill  a  few  days  before.  They  all  became  wearied, 
and  trumpeters  and  harpers  were  worn  out  and  went  home. 
But  all  will  be  rest  in  heaven.  None  will  tire  :  there  will  be 
no  fainting,  but  renewal  of  strength,  as  souls  wait  on  the 
Lord.  Mr.  Whittemore  gave  a  glowing  account  of  the  meet- 
ings. 

He  was  present  at  the  recognition  of  a  church  in  Winches- 
ter, N.H.,  on  the  1st  of  July.  He  preached  twice  on  Sunday. 
Twenty-four  presented  themselves  for  baptism.  "  A  srvt'-re 
thunder-storm,"  writes  Mr.  Whittemore,  "prevented  our 
reaching  Warwick  to  preach  a  lecture,  of  which  notice  had 
been  given." 

The  twentieth  session  of  the  Roekingham  Association  \\:is 
held  this  }*ear  in  August,  at  East  Kingston,  N.H.  Mr.  Whit- 
temore writes  of  it :  "  Going  into  the  meeting-house  the  first 
afternoon,  we  found  it  filled  with  ladies  ;  a  great  contrast  from 
the  congregation  that  assembled  at  the  service  of  the  Associ- 
ation in  1828,  at  Kingston  Plains,  when  but  one  lady  was 
present, — Mrs.  Barnard,  of  South  Hampton.  An  awning 
was  fixed  at  the  side  of  the  church,  under  which  seats  had 
been  placed.  One  window  at  the  side  was  taken  out,  and  the 
speakers  stood  in  the  opening  thus  made.  The  meetings  were 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  137 

of  great  interest.  At  the  first  evening  conference,  references 
were  made  to  the  fact  that  it  was  in  East  Kingston,  in  1834, 
that  the  conference  meetings  of  this  Association  began,  which 
excited  no  little  speculation  at  the  time  in  our  religious  jour- 
nals. We  could  not  forget  our  beloved  brethren,  T.  F.  King, 
A.  L.  Balch.  and  William  C.  Hanscom :  all  of  them  now  in 
glory  ;  all  of  whom  were  present  at  that  meeting,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  exercises."  Discourses  were  preached  during 
the  two  days  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Austin,  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams,  and 
Rev.  Sebastian  Streeter.  At  the  close  of  the  last  sermon, 
Mr.  AVhittemore  gave  a  brief  history  of  the  Association  from 
its  first  meeting  in  ltf'24. 

In  September  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore,  in  company 
with  Rev.  H.  Ballon,  visited  Akron,  O.,  to  attend  the  United 
States  Convention  in  that  place.  Editorial  letters  in  the 
Trumpet  give  interesting  descriptions  of  their  journey.  They 
visit  Niagara  for  the  first  time,  and  are  guests  of  General 
Whitney,  at  the  Cataract  House.  Mr.  Whittemore's  views 
of  Niagara  are  vividly  drawn.  Of  the  view  from  the  tower  on 
the  Terrapin  rocks,  he  writes  :  — 

•  •  What  a  scene  above  !  what  a  scene  below  !  Down  came 
the  mighty  waves,  chasing  one  another  as  if  in  an  eager  race 
for  some  desired  goal,  maddened  by  being  interrupted  by 
rocks  that  refuse  to  move  ;  now  contracting,  now  expanding, 
now  rising,  now  falling,  lashed  into  foam ;  increasing  their 
impetus  every  moment ;  roaring  with  deafening  energy  ;  and 
then  going  over  the  smooth  shelf  in  one  unbroken  sheet.  All 
this  at  one  glance  !  The  sheet,  seemingly  for  fifty  feet  after 
it  goes  over,  is  a  beautiful  variegated  green ;  but  then  it 
begins  to  jet,  as  we  have  described  at  the  American  fall, 
only  with  greater  effect.  It  seems  as  if  this  was  the  grand 
thoroughfare  of  all  the  waters  of  heaven  above  and  earth  be- 
neath. Here  they  hold  their  jubilee ;  here  they  sing  their 


138  MEMOIR   OF 

everlasting  anthem,  — '  the  hand  that  made  us  is  divine  ; ' 
they  rest  not  until  the  paean  is  closed ;  and  then  they  grow 
quiet,  and  smilingly  pass  away.  Such  was  the  view  from  the 
tower.  We  went  away  weakened  by  the  excitement,  and 
humbled  by  the  awful  majesty  of  the  scene." 

Of  Father  Ballou's  impressions  at  Table  Rock,  on  the 
Canada  side,  he  writes  :  "  Father  Ballou  is  not  easily  moved  ; 
but,  when  he  came  to  Table  Rock,  he  stood  in  amazement. 
And,  when  we  were  urged  to  get  back  over  the  river  before 
dark,  he  said,  '  How  can  I  go  away  ? '  He  said  his  thoughts 
were  like  those  of  Peter  on  one  occasion  :  '  It  is  good  to  be 
here ;  let  us  build  tabernacles,  and  dwell  on  the  spot.'  A 
prism  was  handed  him,  from  which  he  could  see  the  rapids, 
fall,  and  chasm,  in  colors  ineffably  glorious.  '  O  my  soul ! ' 
'  Glory  to  God  ! '  were  his  exclamations.  Such  a  sight  our 
eyes  shall  never  behold  again,  unless  we  come  here  to  realize 
it." 

A  Sunday  was  passed  in  Buffalo,  where  both  the  ministers 
preached.  Passing  up  Lake  Erie  to  Cleveland,  they  went 
by  carriage  to  Akron.  The  Convention  meetings  were  largely 
attended.  The  church  was  filled ;  and  a  spacious  tent,  be- 
longing to  the  Campbellites,  placed  beside  it,  contained  from 
1,500  to  2,000  persons.  Sermons  were  preached,  on  Wednes- 
day and  Thursday,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Gurley,  Rev.  W.  S.  Balch, 
Rev.  H.  Ballou,  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer,  and  Rev.  T.  Whitte- 
more.  Other  services  were  held  after  our  visitors  had  de- 
parted, until  the  following  Sunday  evening.  Mr.  Whittemore 
writes  :  ' '  When  Father  Ballou  appeared  in  the  congregation 
front  of  the  pulpit,  many  of  his  friends  of  former  days,  who 
had  emigrated  from  New  England  to  the  Western  country, 
came  up  to  take  his  hand,  and  make  inquiries  concerning  his 
health.  We  saw  whole  families  advance,  and,  shaking  hands 
with  him,  burst  into  tears.  The  scene  was  truly  moving." 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  139 

On  his  return  from  Ohio,  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  Roch- 
ester, Auburn,  and  Troy,  X.Y. 

On  Sunday,  Nov.  4,  after  preaching  during  the  day  at 
Hingham,  on  his  way  home  a  somewhat  serious  accident 
befell  him,  of  which  he  writes  :  "  We  started  on  our  return  in 
a  carryall,  sitting  on  the  back  seat,  wrapped  in  a  cloak,  a 
man  in  front  having  charge  of  the  horse.  Descending  a  hill 
in  Wejinouth,  just  on  the  edge  of  the  sea,  the  shafts  got  dis- 
engaged from  the  axle-tree,  and  of  course  the  horse  was  freed 
from  the  vehicle.  Thus  left  to  itself  in  descending  the  hill,  the 
carriage  soon  gave  a  turn  to  the  right,  and  ran  off  the  bank 
about  twelve  feet,  plunged  to  the  shore,  struck  on  one  side, 
turned  over  upon  its  roof,  and  went  down  upon  the  other  side. 
In  the  whirl  it  got  completely  reversed.  We  could  compre- 
hend nothing  for  a  few  moments ;  and,  when  we  could  once 
more  think,  we  found  ourselves  standing  in  the  carriage  ex- 
actly on  the  top  of  our  head.  With  some  effort,  we  emerged 
through  the  frame,  from  which  the  glass  had  been  broken  out 
by  the  fall,  and  thanked  God  that  neither  we  nor  our  com- 
panion, so  far  as  we  could  judge,  was  dangerously  injured. 
The  horse  stood  patiently  in  the  road,  a  quiet  spectator  of  the 
scene.  We  righted  the  carriage,  gathered  up  the  fragments, 
and  rode  home.  To-day  (Monday)  we  feel  severely  the 
effect  of  the  fall.  Had  there  been  a  fence,  or  even  a  timber 
laid  along  on  the  edge  of  the  road,  the  carnage  would  not 
have  gone  over  the  brink,  and  no  damage  of  any  importance 
would  have  been  done.  We  shall  put  measures  in  train  to 
obtain  reparation." 

As  a  new  year  begins,  the  watchful  journalist  makes  a  call 
upon  Universalist  parishes  to  see  to  their  financial  standing, 
and  relieve  themselves  from  debt.  He  cites  the  instance  of 
Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer,  pastor  of  the  Orchard  Street  church,  in  New 
York,  who,  seeing  that  there  was  a  floating  debt  of  about 


140  MEMOIR    OF 

$4,700  upon  it,  told  the  members  of  the  parish  that  they  must 
reduce  his  salary,  if  necessary,  although  he  hardly  met  his 
expenses  as  it  was.  They  took  the  hint  wisely,  and  immedi- 
ately raised  enough  by  subscription  to  relieve  themselves  from 
embarrassment.  He  asks :  "  How  are  other  committees  of 
societies?  are  they  watchful?  The  judicious  commander  of  a 
vessel  never  lets  many  days  pass  without  sounding  his  pumps 
to  learn  whether  his  vessel  leaks.  So  ought  the  committee  of 
a  society  to  do.  They  ought  to  say,  How  are  we  getting 
along  ?  Is  our  income  equal  to  our  expenses  ?  Are  the  sub- 
scriptions paid  in  ?  Is  the  pew-tax  collected  promptly  ?  Has 
the  pastor  received  his  salary  regularly?  The  pastor  can 
hardly  preach  well  if  he  is  obliged  to  be  in  debt  himself.  How 
can  he  preach  faithfulness  to  others  if  he  is  delinquent?  And, 
even  if  he  should  summon  courage  to  do  it,  his  people  would 
at  least  think  of  the  proverb,  '  Physician,  heal  thyself.'  Let 
every  society  put  its  minister  into  the  situation  to  keep  out  of 
debt." 

Conferences  open  again;  one  at  Marblehead,  Jan.  11, 
largely  attended  and  quite  fully  reported  in  the  Trumpet. 
Ministers  and  laymen  took  a  lively  part  in  the  meeting. 
Another  of  equal  interest  was  held  at  L}*nn  on  the  24th.  The 
audiences  filled  the  large  Town  Hall.  A  third  in  Danvers 
on  Feb.  14,  was  of  the  same  spirit,  and  proved  edifying  to 
the  man}'  attendants.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  at  each 
one  of  them,  and  signified  by  speech  and  prayer  and  songs 
of  praise  his  high  enjoyment  of  the  occasions. 

In  an  editorial  article  about  this  time,  Mr.  Whittemore 
writes  very  freely  respecting  the  absurdity  of  singing,  as 
offerings  of  praise,  many  of  the  hymns  written  by  Watts  and 
others  on  the  horrors  of  endless  punishment.  He  is  noticing 
what  the  compilers  of  the  4'  Psalmist,"  a  new  Baptist  book  of 
hymns,  say,  that  "hymns  intended  for  devotional  purposes 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  141 

should  express  joyful  emotion ; "  quoting  Scripture  in  sup- 
port of  the  statement.  He  accepts  the  statement  as  true  and 
just,  and  proceeds  in  the  light  of  it  to  show  how  utterly  re- 
pugnant to  all  good  Christian  taste  and  feeling  such  lines  as 
these  must  be  when  put  to  music  and  sung  as  offerings  of 
praise  to  the  God  of  all  grace  :  — 

"  Tempests  of  angry  nre  shall  roll, 

To  blast  the  rebel  worm, 
And  break  upon  his  naked  soul 
In  one  eternal  storm  : 

Cursed  be  the  man,  for  ever  cursed, 
That  doth  one  wilful  sin  commit ; 
Death  and  damnation  for  the  first, 
Without  relief,  and  infinite,  &c." 

And  he  raises  the  question  :  "  If  these  things  are  not  fit  to  be 
sung,  are  they  fit  to  be  preached  ?  When  the  Baptist  clergy- 
man preaches  a  sermon  on  endless  miser}',  where  is  he  to  find 
an  appropriate  hymn?  Here  is  a  difficulty  which,  perhaps, 
Messrs.  Stow  and  Smith  did  not  anticipate.  Can  it  be  ex- 
pected of  hearers  that,  while  the  roaring  of  the  fiery  sea  is  yet 
resounding  in  their  ears,  they  will  be  able  to  sing  with  the 
spirit  and  understanding  also  some  sweet  stanza,  like  the 
following :  — 

'  When  all  thy  mercies,  0  my  God, 

My  rising  soul  surveys, 
Transported  with  the  view  I'm  lost 
In  wonder,  love,  and  praise.' 

"  We  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  design  of  banishing 
the  doctrine  of  endless  torture  from  the  choral  service  of  the 
church  originated  in  that  strong  aversion  which  is  springing 
up  in  the  public  mind  to  the  doctrine  itself;  and  that  it  is 
but  a  part  of  a  great  reform  which  will  eventually  exclude 


142  MEMOIR    OF 

that  doctrine,  not  only  from  the  choir  but  from  the  pulpit. 
'  And  let  all  the  people  say  AMEX.'  " 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Convention  at  "Worcester,  June  5  and  6  ;  but  it 
does  not  appear  that  he  preached  on  the  occasion.  He  speaks 
of  the  meeting  as  "an  agreeable  and  happy  one."  Of  the 
closing  communion  service  he  writes:  "A  large  company 
was  present,  both  of  those  who  took  part  in  the  ordinance  and 
those  who  witnessed  it.  The  exhortation  of  Father  Streeter 
before  he  gave  the  benediction  was  one  of  the  most  affection- 
ate, subduing,  and  faithful  we  ever  heard  from  his  lips  on  any 
occasion." 

To  complaints  occasionally  made  by  other  sects,  and  per- 
haps by  some  Universalists,  that  the  Trumpet  was  "  too  war- 
like," the  editor  takes  occasion  to  reply:  "Too  warlike ! 
Not  at  all,  brother.  Does  not  the  Trumpet  war  against 
sin?  against  error?  Can  we  be  too  warlike  in  this  sense? 
We  must  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints  (Jude  3) .  This  must  always  be  done  in  a  right  spirit. 
The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal.  Hatred,  re- 
venge, malice,  dishonesty,  rejoicing  in  iniquit}- :  these  weap- 
ons we  must  not  use  ;  and  God  helping  us  we  will  not.  But 
the  weapons  for  our  use  are  those  with  which  the  apostle 
arms  the  Christian  soldier.  The  loins  must  be  girt  about 
with  truth ;  we  must  bear  the  breastplate  of  righteousness ; 
our  feet  must  be  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  Gospel  of 
peace ;  we  must  have  the  shield  of  faith  and  the  helmet  of 
salvation.  We  must  put  on  this  armor  of  God  ;  and  must 
wrestle,  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  i.e.,  not  against  men,  but 
the  evil  principles  of  men,  — '  principalities,  powers,  the 
rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  spiritual  wickedness  in 
high  places.'  We  acknowledge  that  we  have  erred  ;  and,  in 
view  of  the  vastness  of  the  object  at  which  we  have  aimed,  we 


THOMAS    WHITTEUORE.  143 

have  done  too  little.  We  will  strive  to  do  more,  and  to  prove 
oursclf,  '  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ.'  He  is  '  the  Captain 
of  our  salvation.' " 

In  August  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  made  a  tour  to  the 
White  Mountains.  Letters  in  the  Trumpet  give  a  lively 
account  of  it.  His  brother  ministers  and  others  made  up  a 
party  of  ten  or  twelve.  They  took  the  railroad  conveyance 
to  Concord  ;  thence  by  stage  to  Centre  Harbor,  N.H.  Next 
morning  the  ascent  of  Red  Hill  was  made.  "  It  was  a  clear 
morning,"  he  writes.  "  Our  party  was  ready  at  the  time,  — 
consisting  of  Brothers  Ballou,  of  Medford  ;  Adams,  of  Maiden  ; 
Fa}-,  of  Roxbury  ;  Coffin,  of  Centre  Harbor ;  four  lay  brethren 
and  the  writer.  We  had  also  an  exceUent  guide  in  the  son 
of  Hon.  Benning  M.  Bean,  our  host.  We  took  carriage  four 
miles  to  the  point  where  we  left  the  road ;  and  then,  turning 
abruptty  into  a  pasture,  the  horses  were  secured  and  we 
began  the  ascent.  There  was  much  pleasantry  in  the  com- 
panj',  and  many  a  wise  speculation  was  uttered  whether  a 
man  of  220  pounds  weight  could  drag  his  body  up.  This 
made  us  anxious,  as  we  had  had  little  experience  in  climbing 
mountains.  One  of  the  company  suggested  that  it  was  wise 
to  put  the  heavy  man  behind  in  the  ascent,  and  in  front  hi 
the  descent,  that  if  he  should  fall  and  roll  down  the  mountain, 
the  lives  of  the  others  might  be  preserved. 

"Without  jesting,  it  was  a  severe  effort.  The  thought 
occurred  painfully  to  the  mind,  if  it  be  thus  laborious  to 
ascend  Red  Hill,  what  must  it  be  to  ascend  Mount  Washing- 
ton? That  is  yet  to  be  tried.  Stopping  awhile  at  the  cot- 
tage of  '  Mother  Cook,'  we  came  to  the  summit  after 
another  trial  of  our  strength.  Of  the  scene  from  here,  we 
can  give  no  adequate  description.  Red  Hill  seems  a  stand- 
point thrown  up  by  nature  in  the  midst  of  a  vast  amphitheatre 
of  mountains.  The  sublime  and  beautiful  are  in  the  prospect. 


144  MEMOIR    OF 

In  the  east,  the  Ossipee  Mountains,  with  their  broad  dark  feat- 
ures, frown  upon  us.  In  the  north-east,  far  away  in  the  dis- 
tance, are  mountains  in  Maine,  and  much  nearer  the  far-famed 
Chocorua,  the  scene  of  a  thrilling  fiction.  The  Sandwich 
Mountains  lift  up  their  shaggy  forms  in  the  north,  as  though 
forbidding  all  progress  in  that  direction ;  in  the  north-west, 
are  the  mountains  of  Thornton  and  Campton  ;  in  the  south- 
west, Kearsarge  and  Monadnock ;  in  the  south,  the  Gunstock 
mountains  in  Gilmanton.  Squana  Lake  beneath  us  was 
bright  as  molten  silver ;  and  to  the  south  lies  one  of  heaven's 
brightest  smiles,  Lake  Winnipiseogee. 

"We  prepare  to  descend.  Who  cannot  go  down  a  moun- 
tain? We  commenced  upon  the  run,  for  we  were  a  little 
chilly.  We  jumped  with  pleasure  four  or  five  feet  at  a  leap 
when  we  began  the  descent ;  but  near  the  close  had  to  man- 
age our  steps  very  cautiously.  As  we  write  this  account  on 
the  following  da}'  at  noon,  the  muscles  of  the  legs  are  so  sore 
that  common  walking,  and  the  rising  from  a  chair  even,  is  very 
painful."  After  the  descent  from  Red  Hill,  the  party  were 
glad  to  meet,  as  one  of  their  number,  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin  of 
Charlestown. 

In  a  letter  from  the  Notch  House  near  Mount  Washington, 
he  describes  their  journey  from  Centre  Harbor.  His  sketches 
of  the  scenery  in  this  region  are  admirably  made.  On  the 
9th  of  August,  the  first  ascent  of  the  party  to  Mount  Wash- 
ington was  made.  They  went,  a  few  on  foot,  the  rest  on 
horseback ;  Mr.  Whittemore  taking  a  horse  with  a  friend. 
The  summit  was  gained,  but  they  were  environed  by  clouds. 
They  could  see  but  a  few  rods  in  any  direction.  The  guide 
furnished  them  with  a  substantial  dinner.  They  endured 
cheerfully  the  disappointment  of  having  no  prospect  in  the 
far  distance,  and,  in  due  time,  made  their  long  descent.  One 
of  the  company,  Rev.  C.  II.  Fay,  walked  to  the  summit  and 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  1  1"> 

back,  a  distance  of  about  eighteen  miles,  without  much 
apparent  fatigue.  All  bewailed  their  failure  to  enjoy  a  fair 
•weather  prospect  from  Mount  Washington. 

Sunday  came.  It  was  a  delightful  da}*  without.  Religious 
services  were  held  at  the  "Notch  House."  Rev.  E.  H. 
Chapin  preached,  and  prayers  were  offered  by  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  and  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams.  Another  ascent  was  made  on 
Monday.  Clouds  were  floating  about  the  mountains,  and  a 
snow  and  rain  storm  met  them  at  the  summit  of  Washington. 
But  soon  the  clouds  broke,  scattered,  and  rolled  above  and 
afar,  and  the  grandest  views  they  could  have  desired  were 
before  them.  Mr.  Whittemore  walked  up  and  down  the 
mountains,  was  not  greatly  fatigued,  and  thought  he  could 
have  done  the  same  thing  the  next  day. 

The  party  visited  the  Franconia  Range  on  Monday.  Pass- 
ing through  Bethlehem,  they  met  the  Hutchinsons  with  other 
singing  friends  there,  who  were  on  their  way  from  Littleton 
to  the  White  Mountains.  The  journalist  writes:  "  They 
were  just  on  the  point  of  leaving  when  we  came  up  ;  but.  at 
our  earnest  request,  they  gave  us  a  couple  of  songs.  Nine 
of  them  were  seated  in  the  coach,  and  they  poured  out  for  us 
a  strain  of  music  of  thrilling  interest.  They  concluded  with 
the  song  called  the  '  Old  Granite  State.'  It  was  so  rich,  so 
pure,  so  chaste  ;  it  had  such  strains  of  touching  melody  and 
melting  harmony ;  it  was  so  tender,  filial,  fraternal,- replete 
with  such  just  sentiments,  and  we  were  so  well  prepared  for 
it  by  what  we  had  seen  and  the  state  of  our  own  feelings, 
that  we  can  sa}-,  with  perfect  accuracy,  that  never  in  our 
lives  did  music  so  charm  us." 

They  visited  the  attractions  in  the  Franconia  Range,  in- 
cluding the  "  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain."  and  spent  the  night 
at  Littleton.  From  this  place  Mr.  AVhittemore  and  others  of 

10 


146  MEMOIR   OF 

the  company  passed  round  through  Haverhill  to  West  Rum- 
ney,  N.H.,  where  a  meeting  was  held  in  the  Universalist 
church  on  Friday  evening.  On  Saturday  morning,  the  party 
divided  into  smaller  fractions.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached 
the  foUowing  Sunday  in  Concord,  N.H. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  147 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

1844-1847. 
AGED     44-47. 

Paige's  Commentary  —  Rev.  T.  Parker  and  Unitarians  —  A  Gloucester 
veteran  —  Conference  at  Medford  —  Temperance  festival  at  Acton  — 
Denunciation,  and  Answer  to  it —  U.S.  Convention  in  Boston  —  Mr. 
Emerson  on  Swedenborg  —  Temperance  and  some  mistakes  of  its 
friends  —  Protest  of  Universalists  against  American  Slavery  —  Evils 
of  Fiction-writing — Massachusetts  Convention  at  Hingham  —  Pro- 
posed Reform  Association  —  Miracles  and  Magnetism  —  37  Cornhill 
—  U.S.  Convention  at  Troy,  N.Y.  — Remarks  on  Convention  work  — 
Boston  Association  in  Maiden ; — Home  Missionary  work  —  State- 
ments of  Rev.  Dr.  Pond,  and  Remarks  —  Criticism  of  Christian  Re- 
flector and  Reply  —  A  Western  editor  on  Theological  Institutions,  and 
Reply. 

IK  September  of  this  year  (1844),  the  first  volume  of  the 
Commentary  on  the  New  Testament,  by  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Paige, 
was  published  by  B.  B.  Mussey,  29  Cornhill,  Boston.  It 
•was  a  work  needed  by  the  Universalist  public,  and  since  its 
issue  the  succeeding  volumes  to  the  completion  of  the  Books 
of  the  New  Testament,  with  the  exception  of  the  Apocalypse, 
have  proved  the  whole  series  to  be  a  valuable  contribution  to 
the  literature  of  the  Christian  church.  On  the  appearance 
of  the  first  volume,  in  an  editorial  notice  Mr.  Whittemore 
sa}-s :  "Of  the  manner  in  which  the  Commentaiy  is  exe- 
cuted, we  feel  it  our  clut}-  to  say  that,  in  our  judgment,  it  will 
reflect  credit  upon  its  author,  as  well  as  upon  that  class  of 
Christians  to  which  he  belongs.  It  manifests  much  learning, 
deep  study,  an  earnest  desire  after  truth,  independence  of 


148  MEMOIR  OF 

mind  far  removed  from  any  thing  like  self-confidence,  or  an 
overweening  attachment  to  preconceived  opinions,  slaveiy  to 
the  opinions  of  any  man  or  sect ;  in  fine,  it  is  the  fruit  of  a 
candid,  unbiased,  intelligent,  persevering  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures for  many  3*ears.  No  person  will  fail  to  see  the  charac- 
teristic modesty  of  the  author.  He  states  the  opinions  of 
those  from  whom  he  differs  in  all  their  force,  and  proposes 
•his  own  perspicuously  and  decidedly,  yet  in  a  becoming 
manner."  Other  very  favorable  notices  of  it  were  given  in 
the  religious  journals  of  the  day. 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  not  present  at  the  session  of  the 
United  States  Convention  in  Baltimore,  in  September  of  this 
year.  A  report  of  it  was  given  in  the  Trumpet  by  Rev.  C. 
H.  Faj'.  On  the  16th  of  October,  he  was  in  New  London, 
Ct.,  and  preached  a  discourse  at  the  Recognition  of  the  Uni- 
versalist  church  in  that  place,  of  which  Rev.  T.  J.  Green- 
wood was  then  pastor.  He  was  present  at  another  conference 
meeting  in  Waltham,  Dec.  11.  It  was  a  large  gathering 
of  ministers  and  laymen,  many  of  them  from  neighboring 
churches,  and  proved  to  be  a  meeting  of  deep  enjoyment  on 
the  part  of  the  attendants.  On  Jan.  25,  1845,  another  meet- 
ing of  the  same  character  was  held  in  East  Lexington. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Feb.  2,  Mr.  Whittemore,  in  a  notice  of 
the  excitement  in  the  Unitarian  churches  in  consequence  of 
the  influence  of  Rev.  Theodore  Parker's  opinions,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  proposal  of  Rev.  James  F.  Clarke  to  exchange 
with  him,  gives  thus  plainly  his  views  of  Mr.  Parker  and  his 
ministry :  — 

"  For  ourselves,  we  believe  Mr.  Parker's  opinions  to  be 
decidedly  deistical.  We  acknowledge  that  he  has  all  the  right 
to  the  promulgation  of  his  opinions  which  we  have  to  the 
promulgation  of  our  own.  We  then  proclaim  our  opinion 
that  the  views  of  Mr.  Parker  are  subversive  of  the  Christian 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  149 

religion ;  that,  if  he  is  right,  there  is  no  Christianity :  it  is 
gangrened  at  its  vitals ;  it  is  gone.  Mr.  Parker  has  denied 
the  truth  of  the  Gospels  ;  he  has  preached  that  the  statements 
of  the  Evangelists  have  to  him  '  but  a  low  degree  of  historical 
credibility  ; '  that  they  have  mingled  with  their  story  puerile 
notions  and  tales  which  it  is  charitable  to  call  absurd ;  that 
they  have  possibly  represented  Christ  as  teaching  what  he 
did  not  teach  ;  that  the  Saviour  was  frequently  mistaken,  and 
that  other  Christs  still  greater  are  to  come ;  that  the  pre- 
tended miracles  of  Christ  are  '  m}'ths  and  fables  ; '  that  there 
is  no  certainty  of  Christ's  resurrection,  and  that  the  account 
of  his  subsequent  history  is  impossible. 

"  With  Mr.  Parker  we  have  no  acquaintance.  We  accord  to 
him  all  the  rights  we  claim  to  ourself ;  we  would  abridge  him 
of  no  liberty :  but  we  must  say  that,  holding  as  he  does  the 
opinions  above  described,  he  is  not  a  Christian  minister.  In 
this  remark  we  mean  nothing  against  his  character  ;  we  would 
detract  nothing  from  his  reputation  as  a  man  of  eloquence 
and  talent :  but  he  can  no  more  be  considered  a  Christian 
than  Paine  or  Taylor.  We  might  as  well  expect  a  man  to 
live  with  his  head  stricken  from  his  bod}'  as  Christianity  to 
live  if  the  sentiments  of  Mr.  Parker  should  become  general. 
While  we  express  these  opinions,  we  also  express  the  hope 
that  no  measures  may  be  adopted  towards  him  but  those  of 
kindness.  While  he  denies  the  theory  of  Christianity,  let  us 
meet  him  in  its  spirit ;  for  Jesus  '  had  compassion  on  the 
ignorant  and  those  who  are  out  of  the  way.' " 

On  Feb.  3,  the  venerable  William  Pearce  of  Gloucester 
passed  from  this  life  in  the  ninety-fourth  j-ear  of  his  age.  He 
was  one  of  the  early  friends  of  Murray,  and  helped  to  sus- 
tain him  through  the  trials  of  his  ministry  in  that  place.  In 
a  long  and  interesting  obituary  notice  of  him,  Mr.  Whitternore 
thus  speaks  of  his  last  interview  with  him  in  1842  :  — 


150  MEMOIR  OF 

"We  tarried,  as  we  had  long  been  accustomed  to,  at  his 
house.  He  delighted  to  talk  on  religion.  He  would  sit  for  a 
long  time  and  converse  on  this  theme.  His  whole  heart  was 
in  it.  His  eyes  now  sparkle  with  joy,  and  are  now  suffused 
with  tears.  He  speaks  of  Murray,  and  of  the  jo}*s,  sorrows, 
pleasures,  and  privations  which  the  early  Universalists  of 
Gloucester  realized.  We  asked  him  about  his  faith.  '  My 
faith,'  said  he,  '  is  as  strong  as  ever —  never  weakened  —  no, 
sir,  founded  on  a  rock  —  the  gates  of  hell  cannot  prevail 
against  it.'  He  was  evidently  much  absorbed  in  meditation, 
and  would  give  vent  to  his  feelings  in  quotations  from  the 
Scriptures.  '  Every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue  shall 
confess.  Does  this  not  mean  ALL?  Yes,  EVERY  ONE.  He 
will  not  forsake  his  own  work ;  he  cannot  hate  himself.  Are 
we  not  Christ's?  Our  life  is  hid  with  Christ  iu  God.  AVho 
hid  it?  God.  Who  can  take  it  away?  None.  God  cannot 
change.  Here  am  I,  going  on  to  ninety-one,  near  my  earthly 
end :  but  I  am  ready,  blessed  be  God ;  he  is  my  support, 
and  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
I  will  fear  no  evil.'  " 

A  conference  was  held  in  Medford  on  the  12th  of  February, 
in  which  Mr.  Whittemore  took  part  with  much  earnestness  of 
feeling.  There  was  a  good  attendance,  although  the  da}-  was 
unpropitious. 

The  20th  of  February  finds  him  at  the  public-house  of  Mr. 
Tuttle,  in  Acton,  Mass.  The  occasion  was  a  congratulatory 
one  on  the  part  of  the  friends  of  temperance.  The  proprietor 
of  the  house  had  resolved  to  keep  it  clear  from  the  evil  of 
liquor-selling  for  one  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  was 
satisfied  of  the  wisdom  of  his  course,  in  which  opinion  his 
fellow-citizens  agreed  with  him  ;  and,  as  an  expression  of  tlu-ir 
good-will  towards  him,  proposed  that  a  public  supper  should 
take  place  at  his  home.  It  was  largely  attended;  and  atU-r 


THOMAS    WfflTTKUORE.  151 

the  feast  at  the  table,  other  exercises  followed.  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  made  an  address  to  the  company,  in  which,  after  a  brief 
reference  to  the  occasion,  he  spoke  of  the  evils  of  intem- 
perance ;  the  blessings  of  temperance  ;  present  obstacles  to  the 
temperance  reform :  the  pernicious  nature  of  the  rum-selling 
business ;  that  it  is  opposed  to  the  public  good ;  is  not  an 
honorable  calling,  like  that  of  the  carpenter,  mason,  tailor, 
blacksmith,  etc.  ;  that  many  of  the  dealers  are  themselves 
ashamed  of  it ;  that  the}'  devise  means  to  hide  the  real 
nature  of  the  business  from  public  observation ;  that  it  is 
the  duty  of  the  State  to  guard  the  public  good,  &c.  After 
speaking  with  strong  effect  for  fifty  minutes,  he  was  followed 
by  others,  who  indorsed  the  sentiments  that  had  been  uttered. 
Rev.  Mr.  Frost  of  Concord,  Rev.  Mr.  Dyar  of  Stow,  Rev. 
Mr.  AVoodbury  of  Acton,  Dr.  Bartlett  and  Mr.  Bowers  of 
Concord,  and  Mr.  Bean  of  Warner,  N.H.,  were  the  other 
speakers.  Temperance  songs  were  sung  between  the  ad- 
dresses. Mr.  Whittemore  writes :  "It  was  fully  proved  on 
that  evening,  that  there  can  be  a  free  flow  of  social  feeling, 
wit,  pun,  and  merriment,  without  wine  or  any  alcoholic  stimu- 
lant. It  seemed  to  us  that  we  never  saw  a  happier  company. 
Crowded  as  the  hall  was,  we  could  not  see  that  a  single  per- 
son left  until  ah1  the  exercises  were  concluded,  at  about  half- 
past  ten.  Persons  of  all  religious  sects  were  there,  and  one 
common  impulse  seemed  to  possess  their  souls." 

In  the  Trumpet  of  March  8,  there  is  a  notice  by  the  editor 
of  an  opposer,  who  takes  occasion  to  denounce  said  journal, 
in  these  expressive  terms :  — 

' ;  Mr.  AVhittemore :  I  say  down  with  the  Trumpet.  It  is 
an  infamous  publication.  It  has  done  more  hurt  than  }-ou 
could  do  good,  if  you  should  be  converted  to-morrow  and  live 
until  3-011  are  one  hundred  }-ears  old.  You  are  a  God-defying 
sinner,  and  you  will  go  to  hell.  I  hope  you  will  be  forsaken 


152  MEMOIR   OF 

by  jour  subscribers.  Your  paper  is  a  scourge.  Down  with 
the  Trumpet !  "  To  this  lively  tirade  the  trumpeter  replies  : 
"These  seem  to  be  days  of  'cursing  and  bitterness.'  The 
vials  of  fur}-  are  poured  out  on  our  head.  Thank  God,  we 
will  bear  it  without  flinching,  and  say  of  these  opposers,  so 
full  of  wrath,  '  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do.'  We  have  never  harmed  them  ;  but  their  errors  we 
hate,  as  God  is  said  to  hate  a  lying  tongue  and  a  fro  ward 
heart.  We  regard  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery  as  the  great 
abomination  of  the  age  ;  the  support  of  all  priestcraft.  No 
reforms  can  succeed  well  while  this  doctrine  stands.  If  it  be 
true,  capital  punishment  is  right,  slaver}'  is  right,  war  is 
right,  every  other  kind  of  sin  is  right.  It  was  to  oppose  this 
doctrine,  and  priestcraft,  and  the  designs  of  ardent  sectarians, 
that  the  Trumpet  was  established  nearly  seventeen  years  ago. 
We  gave  it  that  name  because  we  intended  to  '  sound  an 
alarm  in  Zion.'  By  God's  blessing,  we  have  not  swerved : 
we  have  adhered  to  the  original  design  of  the  paper. 

"And  now  our  opposers  cry,  'Down  with  the  Trumpet!' 
Well,  let  us  see  them  put  it  down.  We  know  that  the  sound  of 
it  is  unwelcome  to  them ;  but  how  will  the}-  stop  it  ?  that  is  the 
question.  It  is  said  to  be  an  infamous  publication,  and  why? 
Because  it  tells  the  plain  truth.  Truth  always  has  been  in- 
famous, if  we  may  believe  errorists.  The  editor  is  said  to  be 
'  a  God-delving  sinner,'  and  is  told  that  he  shall  '  go  to  hell.' 
It  is  a  small  matter  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment.  Those 
who  express  these  threats  cannot  execute  them.  They  are 
empty  words,  especially  in  this  land  of  liberty.  This  opposer 
hopes  we  '  shall  be  forsaken  by  our  subscribers.'  Yes,  but 
the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  shall  perish.  Whether  we  shall  be 
forsaken  by  our  subscribers  is  a  question  for  them  to  settle, 
and  not  for  him.  We  are  not  yet  forsaken,  and  publish  a 
few  papers  now,  after  enduring  the  maledictions  of  our  op- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  153 

ponents  for  seventeen  years.     We  think  there  is  room  enough 
for  us  to  occupy  a  little  longer." 

It  does  not  appear  that  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  at  the 
Rockingham  Association  this  year,  which  was  held  in  Brent- 
wood,  N.H.  A  good  report  of  the  meeting  is  given  in  his 
paper  of  Sept.  6. 

The  United  States  Convention  of  Universalists  held  its 
annual  session  this  year  (1845)  in  Boston.  It  was  a  great 
occasion,  and  there  was  a  very  large  attendance.  On  Thurs- 
day morning,  Sept.  16,  — the  steamboats  from  Maine  and  the 
trains  from  New  York  arriving  so  early  that  neither  the 
Trumpet  office  nor  Mr.  Tompkins's  store  was  open,  —  Corn- 
hill  on  each  side  was  well  lined  with  delegates  and  others  who 
were  in  waiting.  School  Street  church  was  filled  and  running 
over  with  the  multitude  that  had  come  to  hear  the  Occasional 
Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin.  It  was  repeated  in  the  after- 
noon to  another  crowd  in  the  Warren  Street  church.  Meet- 
ings were  held  in  different  churches  in  and  about  Boston* 
Conference  meetings  of  deep  interest  were  also  held.  The 
communion  sen-ice  was  observed  on  Thursday  afternoon,  at 
the  First  and  Fifth  churches.  A  largely  attended  meeting  was 
held  in  the  School  Street  church,  on  Friday  morning,  for  the 
discussion  of  certain  important  subjects  connected  with  the 
welfare  of  the  denomination.  Educational  and  reform  inter- 
ests, and  the  instrumentality  of  the  press  in  the  dissemination 
of  Christian  truth,  were  the  main  topics  considered.  The  last 
resolution  discussed  and  passed,  but  with  a  single  "  Na}*," 
was  the  following  on  slavery,  presented  by  Rev.  Henry 
Bacon :  — 

' '  Resolved,  that  a  Committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  prepare 
a  solemn,  earnest,  and  plain  Protest  against  American  Slaver}', 
and,  when  prepared,  to  present  it  to  every  Universalist  cler- 
gyman in  the  United  States,  for  his  signature ;  respectfully 


154  MEMOIR    OF 

requesting  those  who  are  not  willing  to  sign  it  to  give  a  reason 
for  refusing ;  and  when  it  has  been  fully  circulated,  and  they 
have  waited  a  reasonable  time  for  answers,  they  shall  publish 
the  Protest  and  signatures,  with  the  reasons  offered  by  those 
who  do  not  sign  it." 

The  Committee  chosen  were,  —  Rev.  Messrs.  H.  Bacon, 
E.  H.  Chapiu,  L.  R.  Paige,  8.  Cobb,  and  S.  Streeter. 

Mr.  "Whittemore  says  of  this  last  meeting,  that  it  was  the 
best  of  the  four  days.  "  It  must  have  an  influence  very  much 
to  be  desired  on  our  Academies,  on  Theological  learning,  on 
the  Theological  School  at  Clinton,  on  the  Universalist  press, 
and  on  the  efforts  of  Universalists  to  aid  in  the  philanthropic 
measures  of  the  age.  There  was  no  radicalism,  no  come-out- 
ism  ;  all  was  reasonable,  Christian,  affectionate,  and  patriotic. 
Thus  closed  the  sen-ices  of  the  four  da}-s.  May  God  sanctify 
the  whole  to  all  who  were  present.  Let  the  truth  prevail  over 
all  the  earth ;  and  let  all  the  people  say  '  Amen ! '  * 

Two  hundred  and  ten  ministers  were  present  at  the  Con- 
vention. 

The  installation  of  Rev.  "W.  H.  Ryder  as  pastor  of  the 
Universalist  Church  in  Nashua,  N.H.,  took  place  on  Christinas 
day  this  3~ear.  The  installation  discourse  was  by  Rev.  A.  A. 
Miner.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  the  evening. 

Mr.  Whittemore  speaks  with  approval  of  some  parts  of  Mr. 
R.  W.  Emerson's  lecture  on  Swedenborg,  particularly  that 
statement  in  it  respecting  the  impossibility  of  the  existence 
of  pure  malignity.  Mr.  Emerson  had  said  of  the  Swedish 
seer:  "He  believed  in  devils,  objective  devils.  But  that 
pure  malignity  should  exist  is  a  contradiction.  Goodness 
and  being  are  one.  To  deny  this  is  atheism,  the  last  profana- 
tion. Old  Euripides,  pagan  as  he  is,  may  teach  us  that 
'  goodness  and  being  with  the  gods  are  one  ;  he  who  imputes 
evil  to  them  makes  them  none.'  Yet  Swendenborg  admits  no 


THOMAS    WUITTEMORE.  155 

return  for  the  sinful  spirit.  At  death  its  condition  is  fixed 
and  final.  If  man  were  an  azote,  or  a  salt,  or  an  alkali,  he 
might  never  change,  and  it  would  be  best  that  he  should  not. 
But  he  is  a  spirit  and  is  never  stationary.  Must  and  lees 
will  work  themselves  clear,  carrion  in  the  sun  will  purify 
itself,  and  turn  into  flowers  and  clover ;  and  with  man,  wher- 
ever he  is  found,  —  in  brothels,  in  prisons,  on  the  gallows,  — 
the  tendency  is  always  upward."  "  This,"  says  Mr.  Whitte- 
more,  "  is  sound  philosophy  ;  it  is  the  basis  of  Universalism." 
In  the  Trumpet  of  Feb.  1,  1846,  Mr*.  Whittemore  has  some 
more  plain  words  in  reference  to  the  Temperance  cause,  and 
the  attempts  of  those  called  orthodox  Christians  to  monopolize 
its  work,  and  have  special  guardianship  of  its  interests.  Dr. 
Edwards,  a  somewhat  prominent  orthodox  temperance  lec- 
turer, had  been  affirming  that  the  great  object  of  the  temper- 
ance reform  was  not  to  save  men  from  being  drunkards  here, 
but  from  being  made  for  ever  miserable  hereafter.  As  Mr. 
AVhittemore  thus  understands  the  matter,  he  says  :  "  We  have 
no  sympathy  with  such  a  design.  We  will  do  every  thing  we 
can  for  the  cause  of  temperance,  but  nothing  to  build  up 
orthodox}'.  One  great  reason  why  the  orthodox  took  ground 
against  the  Washingtonian  Reform  was,  because  it  was  begun 
and  carried  on  without  their  aid.  The  six  men  who  formed 
the  original  Washingtonian  Society  in  Baltimore,  and  who 
thus  commenced  a  moral  movement  that  gave  an  impulse  to 
the  cause  of  temperance  which  it  never  will  or  can  get  over, 
were  men  independent  of  all  sects.  It  was  this  which 
turned  many  of  the  orthodox  clergy  and  others  of  their 
churches  against  this  reform,  and  led  them  to  stigmatize  the 
reformed  drunkard  who  undertook  to  be  a  lecturer  as  '  a 
gutter  graduate,'  and  expect  his  downfall  and  return  to  his 
cups.  The  cloven  foot  of  orthodoxy  was  never  more  plainly- 
seen  than  in  the  position  it  assumed  in  regard  to  AVashing- 


156  MEMOIR    OF 

tonianism.  We  urge  on  Universalists  the  duty  of  maintaining 
their  devotion  to  the  great  and  glorious  cause  of  Temperance. 
Fail  not,  flinch  not.  The  cause  belongs  to  no  sect :  it  belongs 
to  the  world.  No  man  has  any  right  to  exclude  his  neighbor 
from  its  benefits  or  honors.  "We  say,  then,  to  Universalists, 
•Pray  on,  fight  on.'" 

The  "Protest  against  American  Slavery,"  signed  by  304 
Universalist  clergymen,  appears  in  the  Trumpet  of  April  18 
of  this  year.  It  was  copied  into  other  denominational  papers. 
These  reasons  are  state'd  as  the  basis  of  the  Protest :  — 

1.  Because  slavery  denies  the  eternal  distinction  between  a 
man  and  property,  ranking  a  human  being  with  a  material 
thing.  2.  Because  it  does  not  award  to  the  laborer  the  fruits 
of  his  toil,  in  any  higher  sense  than  to  the  cattle.  3.  Because 
it  trammels  the  intellectual  powers  and  prevents  their  expan- 
sion. 4.  Because  it  checks  the  development  of  the  moral 
nature  of  the  slave  ;  denies  him  rights  and  thereby  responsi- 
bilit}-.  5.  Because  it  involves  a  practical  denial  of  the  re- 
ligious nature  of  the  slave.  6.  Because  it  presents  an 
insurmountable  barrier  to  the  propagation  of  the  great  truth 
of  the  Universal  Brotherhood,  and  thereby  most  effectually 
prevents  the  progress  of  true  Christianity.  7.  Because  the 
essential  nature  of  Slavery  cannot  be  altered  by  any  kindness, 
how  great  soever,  practised  towards  the  slave.  8.  Because 
the  long  continuance  of  a  S3'stem  of  wrong  cannot  palliate  it, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  augments  the  demand  for  its  abolition. 
9.  Because  we  would  in  all  charity  remember  that  peculiarities 
of  situation  may  affect  the  judgment  and  moral  sense  ;  still, 
we  must  not  forget  that  no  peculiarit3r  of  situation  can  excuse 
a  perpetual  denial  of  universal  principles  and  observations. 

Reasons  for  not  signing  the  Protest  were  sent  to  the  Com- 
mittee appointed  to  prepare  it,  and  these  are  published  in 
connection  with  the  Protest  itself.  About  forty  different  rea- 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  157 

sons,  in  substance,  were  given,  most  of  them  calculated  to 
elicit  the  liveliest  discussion,  and  some  of  them  evincing  a  lack 
of  earnest  attention  to  the  vital  merits  of  the  question.  One 
was  especially  noteworthy,  because  of  its  apparently  indifferent 
and  implicit  reliance  on  the  divine  decrees !  It  runs  thus : 
"  As  God  works  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will, 
he  has  permitted  the  blacks  to  be  enslaved  by  the  American 
people,  and  works  that  slavery  according  to  his  will,  and  has 
not  influenced  me  to  act  in  the  matter ;  and  my  not  being  a 
free  agent,  I  cannot  sign  your  Circular." 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Protest.  The 
tone  of  it  was  every  way  creditable  to  the  church  which  sent 
it  out,  and  was  one  of  the  influences  that  helped  to  effect  the 
downfall  of  American  Slavery. 

In  one  of  two  editorials,  Mr.  Whittemore  speaks  with  much 
freedom  and  earnestness  on  the  trashy  fiction  sent  forth  at  the 
time  from  the  press,  and  having  so  large  a  circulation  among 
ready  readers  throughout  the  land.  As  a  Christian  minister  and 
journalist,  he  gives  a  tirneby  utterance  on  this  subject :  — 

"  It  is  much  to  be  lamented  that  our  periodical  literature  has 
fallen  so  low  in  this  country.  Science  is  an  old  and  stale 
affair.  Morals,  history,  in  fact  every  thing  that  is  real  seems 
to  have  lost  its  power  to  interest :  the  community  and  the  world 
are  gaping  after  fiction,  fiction.  Hence  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  the  periodicals  of  our  countr}-  are  given  up  to  this  species 
of  writing.  Novels  from  France,  Germany,  Sweden,  England, 
Scotland,  Ireland,  and  almost  everywhere  else,  are  brought 
over,  and  fairly  (or  rather  unfair!}-)  flood  the  country.  In 
addition  to  fictions  imported,  are  to  be  mentioned  those  of  a 
domestic  origin.  All  the  love-sick  boys  and  girls,  and  old 
maids  (as  we  should  think),  have  taken  up  the  writing  of 
stories,  almost  all  of  them  beginning,  progressing,  and  ending 
in  love.  There  is  need  of  great  reform  in  these  matters. 


158  MEMOIR    OF 

The  papers  which  are  given  up  to  such  publications  are  the 
ver}-  bane  of  }'outhful  society,  and  for  the  amount  of  damage 
which  they  do  are  to  be  classed  with  the  grog-shops.  They 
are  most  of  them  downright  impositions  on  the  community. 
They  vitiate  the  public  taste,  and,  besides  being  destitute  of 
truth,  have  sometimes  the  effect  to  excite  feelings  that  lead 
the  3'oung  astray.  We  advise  fathers  and  mothers  to  keep  a 
good  lookout  as  to  what  their  children  read." 

The  Massachusetts  Universalist  Convention  held  its  annual 
session  this  year  in  Hiugham.  Among  other  business  of  im- 
portance, the  following  resolution  was  introduced  by  Rev.  C. 
H.  Fay,  and,  after  being  discussed  by  the  mover  and  others, 
was  adopted :  — 

' '  Resolved,  That  this  Convention  recommend  to  the  Uni- 
versalists  of  New  England,  to  form  an  association  to  be 
known  as  the  New  England  General  Reform  Association, 
which  shall  meet  annually  in  Boston  during  'Anniversary 
Week  ; '  having  for  its  object  the  collection  of  such  statistical 
information  relative  to  the  various  reform  movements  of  the 
age,  as  illustrates  not  only  the  progress  of  Christianity  as  we 
understand  it,  but  the  best  means  of  promoting  and  applying 
it." 

A  Committee  of  twelve  was  appointed  to  carry  into  effect 
this  resolution  ;  viz.,  Revs.  C.  H.  Fay,  T.  Whittemore,  E.  H. 
Chapin,  H.  Ballou  2d,  J.  G.  Adams,  S.  Cobb,  A.  A.  Miner, 
J.  M.  Spear,  B.  B.  Mussey,  Esq.,  T.  A.  Goddard,  A.  Mudge, 
A.  Tompkins. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  this  Committee,  preparations  were 
made  for  the  first  public  meeting  of  the  Association  in  May, 
1847.  Committees  on  a  Constitution,  of  Arrangements  for 
the  meeting,  on  Resolutions,  and  on  a  Circular  to  the  public, 
setting  forth  the  objects  of  the  Association,  were  appointed. 

Little  reverence  had  our  brother  for  that  class  of  reformers 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  159 

who  thought  they  saw  in  some  modern  discoveries  a  clearer 
interpretation  of  the  miraculous  powers  affirmed  in  the  New 
Testament  than  the  world  had  hitherto  known.  One  of  this 
class  gives  publicity  to  his  views  in  this  strain  :  "  It  is  more 
than  probable  that  the  key  to  the  miraculous  powers  exercised 
by  men  in  all  past  time  is  found  in  the  wonderful  discoveries  of 
animal  magnetism.  If  the  evidence  of  Messiahship  rests  on 
miraculous  power,  the  moment  that  the  discover}'  is  made 
that  the  so-called  miraculous  power  is  a  faculty  appertaining 
to  developed  man,  at  that  moment  the  seal  is  broken,  the 
proof  of  Messiahship  is  lost."  In  noticing  these  statements, 
he  calls  upon  those  who  have  faith  in  them  and  are  experi- 
menting in  animal  magnetism  to  try  and  see  what  the}'  can 
effect  in  the  new  h'ne  of  miracle-working,  and  thus  show  their 
faith  by  their  doings.  "  Let  us  see,"  he  writes,  "  the  power 
of  magnetism  in  working  miracles.  True,  we  cannot  under- 
stand how  animal  magnetism  can  operate  on  the  rock,  or  on 
the  sea,  or  on  loaves  and  dead  fishes  ;  but  we  ignorant  creat- 
ures who  know  nothing  about  philosophy  perchance  do  not 
understand  all  these  matters,  and  need  to  be  instructed.  Let 
some  magnetizer  or  magnetized  strike  a  rock  and  cause  the 
waters  to  gush  out ;  let  him  calm  the  billows  of  the  sea ;  let 
him  feed  thousands  of  hungry  persons  to  satiety  with  a  few 
loaves  and  fishes,  and  gather  up  afterwards  twelve  baskets 
of  fragments.  Do  let  us  see  something  of  this  kind.  Do  not, 
gentlemen,  philosophers,  keep  all  these  things  to  yourselves. 
"But  hark  ye,  readers!  If  these  men  attempt  this,  we 
will  tell  you  how  they  will  succeed ;  somewhat  as  did  the 
'  vagabond  Jews'  of  whom  we  read  in  the  19th  chapter  of 
Acts.  God  had  wrought  special  miracles  by  the  hand  of 
Paul,  so  that  he  healed  men  of  their  diseases,  and  calmed 
the  madness  of  the  mind.  Then  '  certain  of  the  vagabond 
Jews '  took  it  upon  them  to  do  the  same  things  by  calling 


160  MEMOIR    OF 

over  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  There  were  seven  sons  of 
one  Sceva,  a  Jew,  who  tried  their  hands  at  it ;  but  neither  of 
them,  not  even  the  seventh  so/z,  was  able  to  succeed.  They 
said  to  the  mad  man,  '  We  adjure  you  by  Jesus  whom  Paul 
preacheth.'  Oh  the  hypocrites !  thus  to  crowd  themselves 
into  Christian  company.  What  did  they  care  for  Jesus  whom 
Paul  preached  ?  Even  the  madman  knew  they  were  a  set  of 
impostors  ;  for  he  said,  '  Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I  know,  but 
who  are  ye  ? '  And  then  he  fell  upon  them  and  overcame 
them,  so  that  they  fled  out  of  the  house  naked  and  wounded. 

"  Let  some  of  our  philosophers  who  tell  us  that  the 
miracles  of  Christ  were  wrought  03*  animal  magnetism,  try 
to  work  miracles  like  his  by  that  power,  and  they  will  suffer 
as  much  chagrin  as  did  '  the  vagabond  Jews.'  " 

During  the  latter  part  of  Mr.  Whittemore's  life  as  an  editor 
and  publisher,  his  office  was  at  the  stand  since  known  as  the 
"  Universalist  Publishing  House,"  37  Cornhill.  It  was  a 
place  where  much  active  business  was  done ;  a  place  where 
all  visitors,  all  sects,  and  especially  those  of  the  Universalist 
faith,  were  made  welcome,  and  where  our  church  clerg}'  were 
exceedingly  glad  to  congregate.  The  proprietor  of  the 
establishment  had  a  welcome  word  and  hand  for  all.  Whether 
from  cit3'  or  country,  from  near  or  far-off  places,  those  who 
came  were  easily  made  to  feel  themselves  at  home.  Few  of 
our  common  faith  residing  in  New  England  could  enter  the 
office  without  receiving  a  recognition  from  him.  He  had 
preached  to  them,  had  conversed  with  them  in  their  own 
towns,  had  shared  the  warm  hospitalities  of  their  homes, 
had  held  business  conferences  or  mingled  with  them  in  the 
social  walks  of  life.  He  had  a  pleasant  or  witty  or  tender 
word  for  all. 

The  ministers'  meetings  at  the  office,  most  largely  attended 
on  Mondays,  were  among  the  very  strong  attractions  at 


THOMAS   WU1TTEMORE.  161 

Cornhill.  Most  of  those  living  in  the  neighborhood  of  Bos- 
ton, and  usually  some  from  other  and  distant  places  in  or  out 
of  Massachusetts,  would  be  present.  And  the  conferences 
then  and  there  held  were  often  highly  enjoyable.  Knotty 
theological  problems  were  encountered  and  discussed ;  the 
latest  attacks  on  the  common  faith  criticised  ;  church  duties 
proposed  and  debated ;  historical  reminiscences  brought  up, 
persons,  and  anecdotes  of  them  called  back  from  the  past 
and  re-enjoyed.  Breezy  talk  generally  abounded.  The  logi- 
cal sharpness  of  a  Ballou ;  the  spicy  parish  relatings  of  a 
Streeter  or  Skinner ;  the  strong  argumentative  sentences  of 
a  Cobb ;  the  rac}~  witticisms  of  Chapin,  Starr  King,  Ballou 
2d,  Paige,  and  the  Trumpeter  himself,  were  often  parts  of 
the  Monday  morning  programme,  and  all  alike  enjoyed  by 
others  of  the  neighboring  ministers  and  la}-men,  or  by  fresh 
visitors  from  more  remote  residences,  who  would  be  sure  to 
take  away  with  them  most  agreeable  and  lasting  remem- 
brances of  these  interviews. 

Opposite  37,  Mr.  Abel  Tornpkins  for  a  long  time  kept  his 
bookstore  ;  a  home  for  all  representatives  of  Universalism, 
equally  welcome  to  the  fraternity  with  that  of  the  Trumpet's 
editor.  Here  the  first  Universalist  Sabbath-school  paper  was 
published,  and  the  "Ladies'  Repositon*,"  and  the  sweet 
"  Rose  of  Sharon,"  whose  fragrance  yet  lives  in  many  a 
memory.  Conferences  like  those  already  described  wore 
often  enjoyed  there  also.  Mr.  B.  B.  Mussey's  publishing- 
house  and  bookstore  was  also  near,  where  visitors  to  these 
other  houses  always  found  a  cordial  reception  from  the  gen- 
tlemanly and  generous  proprietor.  Cornhill  is  still  an  attrac- 
tion to  Universalists,  and  long  ma}-  it  be  ;  but  it  must  grow 
greatl}*  in  interest  to  be  more  attractive  than  in  those  ten- 
derly remembered  and  felicitous  da}-s  of  the  past. 

Another  journey  to  the  United  States  Convention.  This 

11 


162  MEMOIR    OF 

time  it  is  at  Troy,  N.Y.  A  full  and  pleasantly  descriptive 
account  of  the  passage  from  New  York  city  up  the  Hudson 
is  given  in  an  editorial  letter.  The  Convention  opened  with 
a  Sabbath-school  meeting  on  Tuesday.  An  Address  in  the 
evening  on  Sunday-school  work  was  given  by  Mr.  Charles  F. 
Eaton  of  Boston.  Discourses  were  preached  by  Rev.  Asher 
Moore  (Occasional) ,  Rev.  E.  M.  Pingree,  Rev.  O.  A.  Skinner, 
Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin,  Rev.  D.  Skinner,  Rev.  H.  Bacon.  Ex- 
cellent conference  meetings  were  held,  in  which  Mr.  AVhitte- 
more  took  part.  The  Universalist  Historical  Society  had 
several  interesting  and  satisfactory  meetings,  and  a  collection 
of  fifty  dollars  was  taken  for  the  purchase  of  books. 

In  his  comments  on  the  Convention,  Mr.  "Whittemore  takes 
occasion  to  signify  his  very  strong  desire  that  the  Convention 
should  adhere  more  closely  to  the  work  for  which  it  was 
formed,  and  not  allow  so  much  of  its  time  to  be  frittered  away 
in  the  discussions  of  topics  foreign  to  this  design.  "The 
Convention  was  formed,  as  we  understand  it,  to  effect  a  one- 
ness of  interest  in  the  order  throughout  the  United  States. 
Has  this  been  done  ?  Have  the  interests  of  the  denomination 
throughout  the  country  been  consolidated?  We  think  not. 
Another  object  of  this  Convention  was,  to  communicate 
useful  information  in  regard  to  the  denomination  in  all  sec- 
tions of  the  United  States ;  and  it  is  made  the  duty  of  each 
State  Convention  to  forward  to  the  general  body,  in  some 
form,  information  respecting  the  condition  and  prospect  of  the 
cause  within  its  limits.  This  was  done  for  several  years  after 
the  organization  of  the  Convention.  The  Reports  sent  in 
1835  were  models  of  what  ought  to  be  done.  But  this  impor- 
tant duty  is  now  wholly  neglected."  He  is  suspicious  that 
"  Reform"  topics  as  they  come  in,  have  a  tendency  to  make 
less  important  the  other  work  for  which  the  Convention  was 
organized. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  163 

The  Boston  Association  was  held  this  year  in  Maiden. 
Among  other  resolutions  passed  was  one  offered  by  Rev.  J. 
G.  Adams,  that  a  Missionary  Society  be  established  within 
the  limits  of  this  Association,  immediately.  Messrs.  Whitte- 
more,  E.  H.  Chapin,  and  A.  A.  Miner  were  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee to  prepare  a  Constitution  of  a  Home  Missionary 
Society.  Rev.W.  R.  G.  Mellen  delivered  the  Occasional  Dis- 
course. 

A  letter  appears  in  the  Trumpet  of  Nov.  1,  from  the  distin- 
guished English  Baptist  divine,  Rev.  Robert  Hall,  of  date 
April  30,  1821,  in  which  is  acknowledged  his  perplexities  in 
regard  to  the  doctrine  of  the  eternity  of  punishment.  In  his 
notice  of  the  letter,  Mr.  Whittemore  says  :  ' '  Mr.  Hall  does 
not  seem  to  have  believed  in  endless  misery,  but  to  have 
acquiesced  in  it.  That  is  the  term  he  used.  '  I  acquiesced 
in  the  usual  and  popular  interpretation  of  the  passages  which 
treat  on  the  future  doom  of  the  finally  impenitent.'  As  to 
the  supposed  arguments  offered  by  Mr.  Hall  in  favor  of  the 
doctrine  in  question,  we  refer  our  readers  to  the  works  of 
Rev.  John  Foster.  In  his  letter  to  a  young  clergyman  he 
answers  them  all.  Mr.  Hall  moreover  says  that  belief  in 
endless  punishment  is  never  proposed  as  a  term  of  salvation. 
He  further  states  that  the  evidence  on  which  the  doctrine  of 
endless  suffering  rests  '  is  by  no  means  to  be  compared  to 
that  which  establishes  our  common  Christianity ;  and  there- 
fore the  fate  of  the  Christian  religion  is  not  to  be  considered 
as  implicated  in  the  belief  or  disbelief  of  the  popular  doc- 
trine.' We  commend  the  sentiments  of  Mr.  Hall  to  the 
serious  consideration  of  our  American  Baptists." 

He  also  notes  with  gratification  the  statement  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Pond  of  the  Bangor  Theological  Seminary,  who  says  in  an 
article  in  the  New  England  Puritan, — in  reference  to  the 
wide  prevalence  of  the  opinions  of  Swedenborgians,  Univer- 


164  IfEMOIR    OF 

salists,  and  Unitarians  :  "It  has  come  to  this,  that  when  the 
doctrines  of  divine  sovereignty,  of  total  depravity,  of  the 
consequent  necessity  of  regeneration,  of  a  general  judgment, 
and  of  the  endless  punishment  of  the  "wicked,  are  plainly 
preached,  and  the  most  positive  language  of  Scripture  is 
quoted  in  proof  of  them  ;  there  are  not  a  few  in  our  congre- 
gations who  are  ready  to  say,  '  All  this  may  be  so  or  may 
not  be  so ;  there  are  different  opinions  in  regard  to  these 
points  ;  these  passages  of  Scripture  are  variously  interpreted, 
and  who  can  tell  how  much  or  how  little  is  to  be  depended 
on  ?  "  Mr.  Whittemore  regards  this  as  an  admission  from 
an  unquestionable  source,  that  the  leaven  of  divine  truth  is 
working  in  man)'  of  the  orthodox  churches. 

The  Christian  Reflector,  a  Baptist  journal  of  Boston,  takes 
occasion  to  speak  of  what  it  considers  the  "  Universalist  Es- 
timate of  Revivals."  He  asserts  that  they  vent  their  malig- 
nity when  they  hear  of  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the 
churches  and  the  impenitent ;  that  the}-  cannot  endure  the 
scenes  of  primitive  times,  of  Pentecostal  and  other  revivals  ;  to 
have  the  heavens  "  drop  down  from  above,"  and  the  skies  to 
"  pour  down  righteousness."  To  this  Mr.  Whittemore  replies  : 
"  We  should  be  glad  to  see  '  an  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
on  the  churches  and  the  impenitent ; '  but  we  believe  that 
many  persons  use  these  phrases  who  little  understand  the 
true  meaning  of  them.  Moreover,  there  are  few  things  less 
like  'the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit'  than  a  partialist 
excitement  called  a  revival.  '  The  scenes  of  primitive  times  ' 
we  should  be  glad  to  see  repeated  on  the  earth ;  but  the 
revival  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  other  revivals  under  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles,  were  not  produced  by  the  preaching 
of  endless  torments,  but  by  the  preaching  of  the  love  of  God. 
If  the  Baptists  would  only  convert  people  as  tlu-y  \\vre  con- 
verted in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  we  would  join  with  them  iu 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  165 

heart  and  hand.  We  pray  fervently,  let  the  heavens  '  drop 
down  from  above,'  and  the  skies  '  pour  down  righteousness  ; ' 
but  we  also  pray,  '  Deliver  us,  O  Lord,  from  fanaticism, 
falsehood,  priestcraft,  and  deceit.'  "Will  the  Reflector  under- 
stand now  ?  or  will  it  accuse  us  again  of  being  inimical  to 
revivals  of  pure  religion  ?  " 

During  these  days  when  Mr.  Whittemore  and  man}*  of  his 
brethren  were  advocating  so  strongly  the  setting  up  of  insti- 
tutions for  the  better  education  of  the  U niversalist  ministry, 
he  is  called  to  encounter  that  kind  of  opposition  to  this  work 
which  some  other  sects  have  realized  in  the  first  stages  of 
their  growth  in  this  country.  In  the  instance  now  noticed,  it 
is  that  of  a  minister  in  the  West,  a  man  of  good  natural  abil- 
ity and  editor  of  a  Universalist  journal.  He  has  read  an 
appeal  made  by  Rev.  S.  R.  Smith  to  the  ministers  of  the 
Universalist  Church,  that  one  hundred  of  them,  if  possible, 
subscribe  one  hundred  dollars  each  (making  a  sum  of  ten 
thousand)  towards  the  founding  of  the  proposed  literary  and 
theological  institution.  The  appeal  was  a  reasonable  and 
maul}'  one. 

But  the  Western  editor  did  not  thus  regard  it.  He  was 
not  in  favor  of  "  the  elevation  of  the  Universalist  ministry," 
not  deeming  it  consistent  with  the  spirit  and  character  of  the 
Christian  ministry  to  elevate  the  clergy  above  the  laity,  as 
that  course  had  always  created  a  religious  aristocracy. 
"  Give  the  people  the  New  Testament,"  says  this  sturdy  op- 
pos«r  of  theological  institutions,  "  and  they  can  learn  from 
that  all  theology  necessary  for  them  to  know  without  having 
to  pay  a  self-created  aristocratic  priesthood.  Such  expen- 
sive church  lumber  is  altogether  unnecessary.  Give  the 
people  the  Xew  Testament ;  let  them  study  it  themselves, 
and  the}"  can  know  as  much  of  its  doctrine  as  a  priest  can 
tell  them." 


166  MEMOIR    OF 

It  is  for  Mr.  Whittemore  to  answer  such  intolerable  rant. 
"  In  the  name  of  common  sense,"  he  asks,  "  who  ever  desired 
to  '  elevate  the  clergy  above  the  laity  in  any '  other  sense  than 
to  fill  their  minds  with  knowledge,  that  they  might  be  com- 
petent to  elevate  the  people?  How  can  the  people  be  ele- 
vated unless  the  teachers  are?  There  are  in  our  land,  in  the 
West  we  suppose,  as  well  as  in  the  East,  institutions  to  fit 
men  to  be  teachers  of  academies  and  common  schools.  Why 
does  not  our  brother  apply  his  logic  here  ?  '  What !  elevate 
the  teachers  above  the  people  ?  Has  not  this  always  created 
an  aristocrac}'  ? '  Such  is  his  logic.  A  teacher  must  know 
more  than  those  he  is  to  teach.  Why  does  our  brother 
preach  if  he  cannot  teach  the  people  any  thing  ?  And  which 
is  the  most  aristocratic,  to  qualify  a  minister  so  that  he  can 
really  elevate  the  people,  or  to  let  him  keep  on  preaching  and 
receiving  support  as  a  clergyman  when  he  can  teach  them 
nothing  at  all?  Who  cannot  see  that  our  brother's  position 
is  unsound?  The  truth  is,  people  need  no  other  religion  than 
is  embraced  in  the  New  Testament.  But  there  are  many 
helps  to  the  understanding  of  that  book ;  and  a  class  of  such 
men  '  duly  and  truly  prepared,'  humble,  faithful,  honest 
teachers,  will  be  blessings  to  society." 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  167 


CHAPTER    IX. 

1847-1849. 
AGED  47-49. 

Too  lively  —  A  visit  South  —  Reform  Association  —  J.  Victor  Wilson  — 
Dr.  Bushnell — Rockingham  Association  at  Brentwood,  N.H. —  U.S. 
Convention  at  New  York  —  John  M.  Edgarton  —  Duty  of  an  editor 
—  Andrew  Jackson  Davis  and  his  Revelations  —  Boston  Association 
at  Lynn  —  Extra  Session  at  Cambridgeport  —  Anti-Sabbath  Conven- 
tion —  Commentary  on  the  Apocalypse  —  Reform  Festival  —  Purity 
of  the  Ministry — Rockingham  Association  at  Epping,  N.H. —  Igno- 
rance of  Universalism  —  Boston  Association  —  Christian  Progress  — 
Too  controversial. 

OUR  brother's  Trumpet  had  been  called  too  warlike.  Now 
the  complaint  comes  that  it  is  too  lively ;  that  is,  that  its 
strains  are  not  solemn  enough,  that  there  is  something  alto- 
gether too  cheerful  in  them.  The  editor  pleads  not  guilty. 
"  It  is  true,"  says  he,  "  we  do  not  write  as  though  we  stood 
on  the  brink  of  endless  despair.  We  discard  all  the  repulsive 
features  of  Calvinism.  We  keep  the  good  of  that  system,  and 
cast  the  bad  away.  We  believe  that  God  is  good ;  that 
virtue  is  happiness  ;  that  heaven  is  the  state  of  the  pure  and 
rational  soul ;  that  all  men  are  the  offspring  of  God ;  and 
that  he  will  finally  overrule  all  things  for  good.  Why  then 
shall  we  not  be  cheerful  ?  Why  may  not  the  Trumpet  sound 
a  joy-inspiring  note?  God  calls  upon  us  to  rejoice  before 
him.  The  saints  of  old  used  to  shout  aloud  for  joy.  Heaven 
is  full  of  joy,  especially  when  sinners  are  saved.  One  of  the 


168  MEMOIR    OF 

judgments  denounced  against  Rome,  in  the  Apocalypse, 
which  was  to  be  regarded  as  a  proof  of  her  downfall  and  her 
sadness,  was  that  the  voice  of  the  Trumpet  should  be  heard 
within  her  borders  no  more.  (Rev.  xviii.  '22.)  We  live  not 
in  the  city  of  spiritual  Babylon  ;  but  in  the  holy  city  of  New 
Jerusalem  ;  and  we  will,  agreeably  to  the  injunction  in  Psalm 
xcviii.  6,  '  with  trumpet  make  a  jo}'ful  noise,  before  the 
Lord  the  king.'  '  Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joyful 
sound.' " 

In  May  of  this  year,  Mr.  Whittemore  visited  Fredericks- 
burg,  Va.  He  gives,  in  letters  in  the  Trumpet,  a  very  inter- 
esting account  of  his  journe}*.  It  is  full  of  descriptions  of 
places  and  of  historical  reminiscences.  He  tarried  awhile  in 
New  York  city  to  attend  a  Convention  called  to  consider  the 
educational  interests  of  the  Universalist  denomination.  He 
listened  to  a  discourse  of  deep  interest  to  him  and  others, 
from  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer,  on  German  Rationalism,  —  a  timely 
and  able  effort.  He  spent  a  day  in  Baltimore  ;  visited  Wash- 
ington and  Mount  Vernon.  Of  the  tomb  of  Washington  and 
its  occupants,  he  writes:  "On  the  lid  of  the  sarcophagus  is 
wrought  the  arms  of  his  country  ;  and  the  only  epitaph  (but 
how  expressive  !)  is  the  one  word,  '  Washington.'  What  sig- 
nificance !  Volumes  could  not  have  told  more.  And  on  the 
other  coffin,  '  Martha,  consort  of  Washington.'  The  gratitude 
of  his  country  has  been  irrepressible  ;  monuments  have  been 
reared ;  statues  have  been  carved  ;  counties,  cities,  and  towns 
have  adopted  his  name ;  the  capital  of  the  nation  is  itself 
Washington ;  but,  after  all,  the  man,  the  illustrious  man, 
adorned  with  the  highest  virtues  of  our  race,  is,  and  for  ever 
will  be,  his  own  monument.  All  the  means  by  which  the 
memory  of  great  men  has  been  perpetuated  in  times  past  are 
superseded  by  him.  His  name  must  live  for  ever." 

Washington,  the  national  capitol  there,  and  other  buildings, 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  169 

are  particular!}-  described  in  these  letters.  He  preaches  in 
the  Universalist  church  in  Baltimore  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
then  returns  home.  Reviewing  his  very  pleasant  journey,  he 
takes  occasion  to  pay  a  tribute  to  "home,  sweet  home." 
"Our  gardens  do  not  come  into  bloom  so  earl}'  as  those  in 
Virginia,  but  it  is  'home'  notwithstanding.  Boston  is  our 
native  city.  We  love  the  air  of  Boston,  even  its  cold  north 
winds  :  they  make  men  rugged.  We  love  its  business  char- 
acter, its  free  schools,  the  development  of  mind  in  it,  its  good 
order,  its  liberality  of  religious  sentiment,  its  enterprise,  its 
cleanliness.  True,  our  domicile  is  not  within  the  city  bounds, 
but  it  is  just  the  other  side  of  Charles  River,  in  one  of  the 
sweetest,  most  quiet,  and  orderly  villages  in  Massachusetts. 
Cambridgeport  for  ever  !  " 

During  the  absence  of  Mr.  Whittemore  in  Virginia,  the 
first  meeting  of  the  Universalist  Reform  Association  was  held 
during  "Anniversary  Week"  in  Boston.  Addresses  were 
offered  on  the  following  subjects;  viz.,  on  Peace,  by  Rev. 
J.  G.  Adams  ;  on  Criminal  Reform,  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Spear ;  on 
Temperance,  by  Rev.  A.  A.  Miner ;  on  Human  Freedom,  by 
R«v.  S.  Cobb.  The  first  Festival  (breakfast)  at  Washington 
Hall,  in  Bromfield  Street,  was  an  occasion  never  afterwards 
forgotten  by  those  who  attended  it.  Richard  Frothingham, 
Jr.,  of  Charlestown,  presided,  who  introduced  the  intellectual 
repast  admirably.  He  was  followed  by  the  ministers,  C.  H. 
Fay,  A.  A.  Miner,  J.  G.  Adams,  S.  Cobb,  H.  Bacon,  E.  H. 
Chapin,  H.  Ballou,  S.  Streeter,  E.  Thompson,  J.  S.  Dennis, 
J.  M.  Spear,  and  P.  H.  Sweetser,  Esq.,  of  South  Reading. 
The  speakers  were  in  their  happiest  moods,  and  under  their 
strongest  inspirations.  Mr.  Chapin's  speech  was  a  torrent  of 
eloquence  ;  the  venerable  Ballou's,  an  uplifting  benediction. 
It  was  a  grand  inauguration  of  the  Reform  Association.  Mr. 
Whittemore  regretted  his  absence  from  it.  The  excellent 


170  MEMOIR   OF 

report  of  the  Festival  in  the  Trumpet  was  from  the  pen  of  Rev. 
T.  Starr  King. 

In  the  Trumpet,  of  July  3,  there  is  recorded  the  sudden  death 
of  a  young  man  (J.Victor  Wilson)  of  more  than  ordinary  prom- 
ise, who  had  elicited  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Whittemore  much 
interest  in  his  behalf.  He  was  employed  in  the  publishing 
office  for  some  time,  and  was  the  author  of  the  work  entitled, 
"  Reasons  for  our  Hope  ;  or,  the  Bible  a  Universalist  Book ; " 
a  work  which  shows  that  he  had  great  industry  in  the  study 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  a  peculiar  faculty  at  the  classification 
of  proofs.  The  little  work  had  quite  a  large  circulation,  and 
deserves  a  place  in  the  Christian  Church  henceforth. 

It  was  in  this  year  that  the  tract  on  "  Christian  Nurture," 
afterwards  enlarged  to  a  small  volume,  from  the  pen  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Bushnell,  of  Hartford,  Ct..  appeared.  The  tract  was  ap- 
proved by  the  Committee  of  Publication  of  the  Massachusetts 
Sabbath  School  Society.  It  was  declared  by  some  to  be  a 
most  valuable  work.  Upon  examination,  however,  by  the 
Unitarians,  it  was  found  to  contain  many  very  reasonable 
thoughts  and  doctrines  on  the  subject  of  human  nature  ;  and, 
if  carefully  examined,  it  was  seen  to  conflict  directly  and 
broadly  with  the  doctrine  of  total  depravity.  The  Unitarians 
expressed  their  admiration  of  the  tract.  This  caused  a  re- 
examination  of  it  on  the  part  of  the  orthodox,  and  it  came 
under  condemnation.  Even  the  committee  who  had  ex- 
amined and  approved  it  now  withdrew  their  approbation,  and 
had  the  tract  suppressed.  But  this  only  served  to  increase 
the  demand  for  it,  and  it  soon  came  to  be  read  extensively, 
and  is  now  regarded  with  much  favor  by  many  of  the  more 
advanced  thinkers  in  the  orthodox  ranks,  and  by  Christians 
of  liberal  views  generally.  It  was  the  beginning  of  a  series 
of  volumes  \\hieh  afterwards  came  from  the  able  pen  of  Dr. 
Bushnell,  and  which  have  served  to  modify  and  change  in 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  171 

no  small  degree  the  old  puritanic  theology  of  New  England. 
Mr.  Whittemore,  of  course,  took  particular  notice  of  the  flut- 
ter occasioned  in  certain  quarters  by  the  discovery  that  the 
new  tract  was  in  contradiction  of  some  of  the  Calvinism  of 
the  past. 

In  August,  he  is  present  again  at  the  Rockingham  Associ- 
ation. It  was  held  in  Brentwood,  N.H.,  this  year,  and  was 
largely  attended  on  both  days  of  the  session.  Four  or  five 
discourses  were  preached,  one  by  Mr.  Whittemore,  and  con- 
ferences were  held.  Mr.  Whittemore  closes  a  notice  of  the 
meeting  in  his  paper,  by  noting  the  different  kinds  of  Uni- 
versalists  in  the  county  of  Rockingham,  and  fervently  ex- 
horting them  to  union  and  work  under  the  one  great  Master 
and  Lord. 

The  session  of  the  United  States  Convention  this  year,  in 
New  York  city,  was  one  of  great  interest.  One  of  the  larg- 
est Sabbath-school  meetings  yet  known  at  any  session  of 
this  body  was  held  in  the  Bleecker  Street  church,  and  an 
Occasional  Address  given  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams.  The 
Occasional  Sermon  before  the  Convention  was  delivered  by 
Rev.  H.  Ballou,  D.D.  Mr.  Whittemore  writes:  "It  was 
pronounced  by  many  of  the  clergy  the  most  powerful  discourse 
ever  delivered  by  that  distinguished  man,  to  which,  so  far  as 
our  knowledge  goes,  we  do  cordially  agree.  We  can  give  no 
epitome  of  this  sermon  that  will  give  the  reader  an}-  competent 
idea  of  it."  His  topic  was,  "  The  Responsibilit}- of  Universal- 
ists  in  the  Position  they  now  hold  before  God  and  the  World." 
It  was  listened  to  with  intense  interest  in  that  long  hour,  and 
has  been  doing  its  work  in  our  churches  ever  since.  Dis- 
courses were  preached  in  different  churches,  and  conferences 
of  unusual  interest  held.  On  Friday,  there  was  an  Educa- 
tional Convention  in  the  Orchard  Street  church.  It  was  there 
voted  that  a  general  agent  be  appointed  to  solicit  subscrip- 


172  MEMOIR    OF 

tions,  to  the  amount  of  $100,000,  for  the  erection  of  college 
buildings. 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Oct.  9,  Mr.  Whittemore  very  tenderly 
notices  the  death  of  Mr.  John  M.  Edgarton,  of  Shirley,  Mass. ,  a 
brother  of  Mrs.  Sarah  C.  E.  Mayo.  He  was  in  expectation  of 
entering  the  ministry  at  the  time  of  his  decease.  His  intimate 
friend,  Rev.  T.  Starr  King,  writes  of  him:  "His  mind  was 
of  the  first  order.  To  great  acuteness  of  thought  was  united 
an  expansive  view  of  every  subject  which  he  treated ;  and 
very  few  have  ever  possessed  in  such  harmonious  union  those 
qualities  of  intellect  so  rarely  conjoined,  —  metaphysical  ex- 
actness and  philosophical  breadth.  His  style  of  composition 
was  admirable,  and  would  have  given  him  a  high  rank  among 
the  cultivated  writers  of  the  day.  At  this  time,  when  the 
great  need  of  our  denomination  is  men  of  education  and  com- 
manding intellectual  power,  we  feel  that  the  Universalist 
public  have  sustained  in  his  death  an  almost  irreparable  loss." 

In  an  animated  article  on  the  "  Duty  of  an  Editor,"  Mr. 
Whittemore  makes  this  plea  for  the  press :  ' '  What  is  the 
duty  of  editors  ?  We  reply,  to  set  their  faces  like  a  flint 
against  the  prostitution  of  the  press.  The  press  !  A  noble 
engine !  The  lever  that  moves  the  moral  world !  In  the 
hands  of  good  men,  how  useful !  In  those  of  the  bad,  how 
dangerous  !  The  conductors  of  the  press  should  be  men  of 
ability,  of  good  judgment,  of  good  morals,  of  uncontaminat- 
ing  thoughts.  They  preside  at  the  fountains  at  which  all  the 
people  drink ;  and  would  you  have  the  fountains  poisoned  ? 
The  public  does  not  seem  to  be  aware  of  the  responsibility 
of  editors,  and  the  immense  power  which  they  wield  for  good 
or  for  evil  over  the  destinies  of  the  republic.  If  any  men 
ought  to  be  held  to  a  strict  accountability,  it  is  the}-.  We 
talk  of  the  influence  of  the  pulpit.  One  newspaper,  with  a 
circulation  of  five  thousand,  has  the  influence  of  fifty  clergy- 


THOMAS    WUITTEMORE.  173 

men ;  for  such  a  paper  is  read  by  at  least  fifty  thousand 
persons.  When  its  articles  are  copied  into  other  journals,  its 
influence  ma}-  be  doubled  and  trebled.  We  hope  Uuiversal- 
ist  readers  will  hold  their  editors  to  a  strict  accountability ; 
and  if  they  find  the  tone  of  their  press  wavering,  or  speaking 
in  any  way  to  foster  corruption,  or  division,  or  political  party 
spirit,  or  any  thing  that  is  not  for  the  good  of  man  and  the 
advancement  of  the  Gospel,  let  it  be  promptly  discounte- 
nanced. Whatever  other  sects  may  have,  let  Uuiversalists 
cherish  a  pure  press." 

In  these  days  there  appeared  a  bulky  volume,  purporting  to 
be  ' '  Revelations "  from  a  higher  sphere  than  that  of  the 
earthly,  coming  through  Andrew  Jackson  Davis.  A  few 
Uuiversalist  ministers  were  quite  forward  in  giving  it  a  wel- 
come, professing  to  regard  it  as  a  spiritual  light  in  advance 
of  all  others  that  had  yet  appeared.  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer,  then 
of  Clinton,  N.Y.,  gave  the  book  a  pretty  sharp  notice,  and 
made  some  expositions  of  the  cordial  reception  it  had  met 
with  by  those  professing  to  be  teachers  of  Christian  Univer- 
salism.  Mr.  Whittemore  indorses  Mr.  Sawyer's  opinion  of 
the  work.  Speaking  for  himself  and  others  near  him,  he 
says:  "We  believe  the  book  to  be  an  infidel  publication; 
and  that,  if  our  ministers  who  have  accepted  it  as  a  new  and 
higher  revelation  from  heaven  have  fully  considered  what 
they  are  doing,  there  is  no  Christian  faith  in  them.  We 
hope  the  tune  will  come  when  the  Universalist  denomination 
will  not  be  the  receptacle  of  every  strange  thing  under 
heaven."  Mr.  Davis,  in  after  years,  gave  it  as  his  serious 
conviction  that  Spiritualism  (which  his  "  Revelations"  advo- 
cated) had  been  relied  upon  altogether  too  much  as  a 
religion  ;  thus  veiling  these  criticisms  to  which  we  have 
here  alluded. 

The  Boston  Association  held  its  annual  session  this  year  in 


174  MEMOIR  OF 

November,  at  Lynn.  The  first  day  was  given  to  business, 
the  last  to  public  religious  services.  The  important  business, 
however,  seemed  to  have  been  left  until  the  last  day.  A 
very  vigorous  discussion  came  up  in  reference  to  the  faith 
necessary  to  constitute  a  person  a  Universalist.  There 
seemed  to  be  an  impression  among  a  large  number  of  the 
ministers  and  lay  delegates  that  it  was  time  to  define  what 
Christian  faith  is,  in  order  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  tunes. 
The  main  question  seemed  to  be,  .whether  a  man  ought  to  be 
sustained  as  a  Christian  clergyman  who  sets  aside  the  pecu- 
liarly divine  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  account  given 
of  his  miracles  in  the  Scriptures,  and  of  his  resurrection,  the 
greatest  miracle  of  all.  It  was  thought  that  a  person  who 
did  not  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  could  not  be  in 
faith  a  Christian ;  and  no  one  who  disavows  miracles  can 
believe  in  his  resurrection.  There  had  been  such  signs  of 
defection  among  certain  self-styled  reformers,  that  it  was 
deemed  necessary  for  the  Association  to  define  the  ground 
on  which  it  stood.  And  there  was  an  evident  readiness  for 
this  step  on  the  part  of  the  attendants  at  that  meeting. 

The  subject  was  discussed  with  much  ability  on  Thursday  ; 
but  there  was  not  tune  to  come  to  a  definite  conclusion. 
The  Association,  therefore,  adjourned  to  Cambridgeport, 
there  to  hold  an  extraordinary  session  on  Wednesday,  the 
first  day  of  December. 

This  session  was  well  attended,  and  a  very  deep  interest 
was  evinced  in  its  proceedings.  Rev.  A.  A.  Miner  was 
Moderator  of  the  meeting,  and  Rev.  E.  Fisher,  Clerk.  The 
Resolution  presented  at  the  former  session  at  Lynn,  and 
reported  again  at  the  present  one,  was  the  following,  offered 
by  a  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose :  — 

'•'•Resolved,  That  fhis  Association  express  its  solemn  con- 
viction, that,  in  order  for  one  to  be  regarded  as  a  Christian 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  175 

minister  with  respect  to  faith,  he  must  believe  in  the  Bible 
account  of  the  life,  teachings,  miracles,  death,  and  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

A  minority  report  bj*  one  of  the  Committee  was  offered, 
as  follows :  — 

' '  Resolved,  That  the  articles  of  faith  adopted  by  the  Gen- 
eral Convention  of  Universalists  in  1803  are  sufficient  for  all 
practical  purposes,  as  it  respects  the  Christian  belief." 

The  first  question  before  the  meeting  at  Cambridgeport 
was  the  unfinished  business  at  Lynn  ;  viz.,  the  motion  to  set 
aside  the  Resolution  offered  by  the  committee,  and  substitute 
the  minority  report.  At  the  beginning  of  the  discussion,  a 
motion  prevailed,  by  a  large  vote,  that  no  person  should  speak 
more  than  fifteen  minutes  at  a  time ;  nor  more  than  once,  if 
any  other  wished  to  speak  :  a  wise  resolution,  which  prevented 
long  and  tedious  speeches. 

The  discussion  was  pertinent  and  animated.  The  chief 
speakers  in  favor  of  the  Resolution  offered  by  the  majority 
of  the  Committee  were,  —  Rev.  Messrs.  E.  Fisher,  L.  R. 
Paige.  S.  Cobb,  T.  Whittemore,  T.  D.  Cook,  C.  H.  Fay, 
H.  Ballou  2d,  J.  G.  Adams,  H.  Ballou,  A.  A.  Miner.  Those 
in  advocacy  of  the  minority  Resolution  were,  —  Rev.  Messrs. 
J.  "NV.  Hanson,  J.  Prince,  J.  M.  Spear,  E.  Thompson. 

Mr.  Whittemore.  in  his  remarks,  said  that  "  he  wished  no 
other  rule  than  what  we  have  in  the  Profession  of  Faith  made 
in  1803.  But  he  did  not  want  this  Profession  to  be  put  to  a 
perfidious  use.  He  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  Conven- 
tion's Profession,  if  it  were  received  in  the  same  sense  in 
which  the  Convention  uttered  it.  We  have  no  right  to  put 
an  utterly  different  sense  on  that  Profession  from  that  which 
the  Convention  put  upon  it.  and  then  claim  that  we  believe 
it.  This  was  doing  by  the  Profession  what  some  men  did  by 
the  Bible :  they  made  an  entirely  different  book  of  it  from 


176  MEMOIR    OF 

what  was  originally  intended,  and  then  claimed  to  be  be- 
lievers in  the  Bible.  We  must  receive  the  Bible  in  its  true 
and  proper  sense  ;  in  the  sense  its  different  authors  attached 
to  it.  Here  are  men  around  us  who  are  unwilling  to  receive 
the  Bible  account  of  the  life,  teachings,  miracles,  death,  and 
resurrection  of  Christ.  How  then,  in  any  true  sense,  can 
they  be  said  to  receive  the  Convention's  Profession  of  faith  ? 
Is  it  to  be  supposed  for  one  moment  that  the  Committee  who 
drew  up  the  Convention's  Profession  fort}*- five  years  ago, 
believed  as  some  do  who  oppose  the  main  resolution  here  to- 
day? Is  it  to  be  supposed  that  Zebulon  Streeter  did  not 
hold  to  the  Bible  account  of  Christ?  Could  this  be  said 
of  George  Richards?  or  of  Walter  Ferris?  or  of  Zephaniah 
Lathe?  Those  four  men  were  the  Committee  who  drafted 
the  Convention's  Profession,  in  connection  with  one  other 
individual ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  individual 
referred  to  (the  only  surviving  member  of  the  Committee 
appointed  in  1802)  was  here  present  with  us  this  day ;  and 
the  hand  of  that  very  individual  drafted  the  Resolution  which 
some  of  the  members  of  the  present  Association  were  seeking 
to  thrust  aside.  Was  there,  then,  any  contradiction  between 
the  Convention's  Profession  and  the  Resolution  of  the  Com- 
mittee here  to-day  ?  None  at  all ;  they  both  agreed  in  spirit : 
but  the  latter  was  brought  in  to  guard  the  former  against 
misuse.  Which  was  the  most  likely,  that  our  venerable 
Father  Ballou  would  best  know  the  real  intent  of  the  Conven- 
tion's Profession  of  Faith,  or  those  men  who  have  been  known 
among  us  at  the  best  but  five  or  six  years?  If,  therefore," 
said  Mr.  Whittemore,  "  the  business  should  take  such  a  form, 
that  he  should  be  required  to  give  a  direct  vote  on  the  Com- 
mittee's Resolution,  he  should  certainly  vote  in  the  affirma- 
tive." 

By  a  previous  vote,  the  discussion  was  to  close  at  half-past 


THOMAS    WHITTEUORE.  177 

four  o'clock.  The  Resolution  of  the  Committee  was  sustained 
by  a  very  large  majority  of  the  clergy  and  laity.  Some  of 
the  few  who  voted  for  the  minority  Resolution  affirmed  that 
the}-  did  so,  not  because  of  their  doubts  of  the  Bible  account 
of  Christ,  his  works  and  his  life,  but  because  of  their  scruples 
as  to  the  propriety  of  making  this  new  statement  at  that 
time.  That  the  movement  was  an  exceedingly  proper  one, 
however,  has  been  the  conviction  of  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  our  churches  and  congregations  of  professed  Universalists 
to  this  hour.  It  was  a  wise,  timely,  honest,  and  faithful 
utterance  on  their  part  against  the  loose  German  Rationalism 
and  speculative  free-thinking  and  doubting  then  so  rife  in 
New  England  and  elsewhere  ;  and  in  affirmation  of  their  faith 
in  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament,  and  his  Gospel  of  Uni- 
versal Grace  and  Salvation.  Mr.  Whittemore,  some  weeks 
after  this  decision  at  Cambridgeport,  writes  in  the  Trumpet  : 
"Most  of  the  laymen  who  come  into  our  office — of  whom 
there  are  many  at  this  season  of  the  year  —  speak  with  very 
high  approbation  of  the  late  meeting  of  the  Boston  Associ- 
ation. All  who  express  their  opinions  say  to  us,  '  Stand  by 
the  Bible,  Brother  Whittemore  :  we  shall  never  get  an}'  thing 
better.'  "  Again  :  "  We  did  not  know  before  the  depth  of  the 
reverence  for  the  Scriptures  which  the  great  bod}'  of  Uni- 
versalists entertained.  We  knew  that  great  efforts  had  been 
made  to  spread  false  notions  in  regard  to  the  divine  character 
of  the  New  Testament ;  and  although  Universalists  from  the 
beginning  had  been  led  to  believe  that  the  Bible  is  the  Word 
of  God  ;  although  the}-  were  so  taught  by  Murray,  Winches- 
ter, Barnes,  Streeter,  Richards,  and  others,  — we  did  not  know 
that  the  efforts  of  certain  men  to  undermine  our  confidence  in 
the  Bible  had  been  almost  altogether  without  effect.  Yet  such 
seems  to  be  the  fact.  The  great  body  of  the  Universalist 
laity  have  proved  their  soundness  in  respect  to  the  Bible." 

12 


178  MEMOIR  or 

In  February  of  this  year  (1848),  there  appeared  in  the 
newspapers  a  call  for  an  Anti-Sabbath  Convention  by  31 
Garrison,  Parker,  Wright,  Foster,  and  others,  prominent 
anti-slavery  men  and  advocates  of  reform.  Mr.  "NVhittemore 
gives  in  his  paper  an  account  of  the  meeting,  \vhich  was  held 
two  days  in  the  Melodeon  ;  a  meeting  which  he  considered  as 
designed  to  destroy  ' '  all  reverence  and  all  regard  for  the 
Sabbath  as  a  day  of  sacred  rest."  There  was  not  a  unanimity 
of  opinion  on  the  part  of  those  who  had  called  the  meeting. 
Rev.  Theodore  Parker  introduced  a  series  of  resolutions  ex- 
pressive of  a  belief  that  the  habit  of  assembling  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  though  not  a  sacred  day.  for  the  purposes 
of  spiritual  and  moral  instruction,  was  not  amiss.  The  load- 
ers, however,  would  not  tolerate  this  idea.  The  whole  plat- 
form objected  to  it.  The  Sabbath  could  never  be  broken 
down  if  people  were  encouraged  to  go  to  meeting  on  that  <lay. 
On  the  second  day,  a  vote  was  passed  that  none  should  speak 
in  the  meeting  except  such  as  were  opposed  to  the  Sabbath. 
Mr.  Whitteinore  thus  states  his  opinion  of  the  meeting  :  "  The 
whole  affair  of  an  Anti-Sabbath  Convention  strikes  us  as  a 
most  melancholy  illustration  of  the  folly  and  cruelty  of  all 
measures  professing  to  have  the  public  good  in  view,  which 
are  not  based  on  the  principles  of  the  Bible,  and  are  not  con- 
ducted in  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  Here  are  men  professing 
to  be  special  friends  of  the  poor  and  the  advocates  of  the  op- 
pressed, laboring  with  malignant  energy  to  destroy  that  day 
of  rest  from  servile  labor,  which  is  the  poor  man's  richest 
earthly  boon,  and  without  which  he  must  be  exposed  to 
unremitting  toil ;  and  to  deprive  the  community  of  the  con- 
solatory, improving,  and  elevating  influences  of  the  Sabbath. 
by  shutting  up  the  places  of  prayer  and  religious  instruction, 
and  destroying  all  special  observance  of  the  day  as  a  season 
for  assembling  even  for  moral  and  intellectual  improvement. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  179 

Such  is  Infidelity."  Again,  he  says:  "We  wish  to  have  it 
distinctly  understood  that  we  have  no  sympathy  with  the 
anti-Sabbath  movement.  There  are  rum-holes  enough  open 
now  on  Sunday ;  enough  men  riding  about  the  vicinity  of 
Boston,  from  one  hotel  to  another,  on  that  day  ;  enough  fight- 
ing, and  other  species  of  wickedness,  without  asking  the 
Legislature  to  open  the  gates  and  let  a  full  flood  of  wickedness 
in  upon  us.  We  speak  not  of  the  intent  of  the  anti-Sabbath 
men,  but  of  the  unavoidable  effect  of  their  labors." 

Another  valuable  work  appears  at  this  time  from  the  pen 
of  Mr.  Whittemore.  It  is  his  Commentary  on  the  Apocalypse, 
or  Revelation  of  St.  John.  Much  of  it  had  appeared  from 
time  to  time  in  the  Trumpet ;  but  its  publication  in  book  form 
gave  to  the  Christian  public  a  new  and  very  instructive  volume 
on  this  closing  part  of  the  New  Testament,  which  had  so 
tasked  the  wits  of  commentators  as  they  had  searched  for  its 
meaning.  This  new  expositor  makes  his  commentaries  very 
plain,  comparing  Scripture  with  Scripture,  and  showing  the 
great  resemblances  in  the  imagery  of  the  Apocalypse  and  that 
used  by  Daniel  and  other  Old  Testament  writers.  It  met  the 
warm  approval  of  the  Universalist  press ;  as  one  of  our 
church  editors  wrote :  ' '  We  did  not  suppose  it  possible  to 
render  the  high-wrought  imagery  of  this  book  so  plain.  Mr. 
Whittemore's  commentary  will  give  a  new  interest  to  it ;  and 
while  it  will  rescue  the  book  from  the  hands  of  visionaries  and 
enthusiasts,  who  have  imagination  without  judgment,  it  will 
cause  it  to  be  studied  by  the  thoughtful,  and  those  who  value 
the  Word  of  God  for  the  rational  and  useful  instruction  it  im- 
parts." 1  Rev.  Dr.  Paige  declined  writing  a  commentary  on 
the  Apocalypse,  because  he  wished  that  of  Mr.  Whittemore 
to  accompany  his  own  work  on  the  other  books  of  the  New 
Testament. 

1  Eev.  0.  A.  Skinner. 


180  MEMOIR   OF 

The  Trumpet  of  June  10,  contains  a  lively  editorial  report 
of  the  second  Reform  Festival,  held  by  the  Universalists,  in 
Boylston  Hall,  Boston,  during  Anniversary  Week  of  this 
year.  There  was  a  large  company  at  the  tables.  Mr.  B.  B. 
Mussey  was  President,  and  made  a  very  appropriate  and  fer- 
vent opening  address.  The  principal  speakers  after  him  were, 
Rev.  A.  A.  Miner,  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams,  Richard  Frothing- 
ham,  Esq.,  Rev.  H.  Bacon,  Rev.  Dr.  Ballou,  Rev.  L.  C. 
Brown,  Mr.  Charles  Marsh,  and  Father  Ballou,  who  used 
those  striking  words  that  were  so  remembered  afterwards : 
' '  Changes  are  not  always  improvements  :  we  must  not  forget 
the  first  principles  of  truth.  We  use  the  same  numerals  now 
that  were  used  of  old,  and  the  first  principles  of  numeration 
and  multiplication  still  hold  good.  We  do  not  forsake  them. 
We  find  use  for  the  same  sun,  moon,  and  stars  now  which 
people  used  to  see  thousands  of  years  ago.  Don't  throw  every 
thing  behind  you.  Do  not  suppose  that  you  are  going  to 
surprise  your  Maker  by  any  operation  that  you  can  perform  !  " 

The  speech  of  Rev.  E.  H.  Chapin  was  a  fitting  one  to  con- 
clude the  series.  He  was  in  his  happiest  vein.  Exhorting 
to  hopefulness  in  the  work  of  reform,  he  spoke  of  the  little 
drummer  in  McDonald's  division,  when  that  celebrated 
General  passed  the  Splugen  with  his  forces.  "  Into  one  of 
the  vast  fissures,  the  little  drummer  fell  as  the}7  were  marching 
along.  There  was  no  hope  of  deliverance  for  him ;  but  he 
kept  on  beating  his  drum  as  though  nothing  had  happened.  Let 
us  be  faithful  to  our  duty.  Humanity  is  on  a  grand  move- 
ment to  victory.  Let  us  beat  our  march  well ;  and  if  we 
meet  with  obstacles,  with  dangers,  let  us  beat  on,  for  we  shall 
come  off  victorious  at  lust  I " 

Wise  and  thoughtful  are  the  words  of  the  editor  on  the 
"  Purity  of  the  Ministry  :  "  - 

"There  are  other  indispensable  qualifications  for  the  min- 


THOMAS    WHITTEUORE.  181 

istry,  but  purity  stands  above  them  all.  A  bad  clergyman 
will  do  more  harm  than  twenty  good  ones  can  counteract, 
just  as  one  incendiary  can  kindle  more  fires  than  a  whole 
town  or  cit}*  can  extinguish.  Bad  men  of  good  talents  are 
the  most  dangerous  men  in  the  world.  They  are  somewhat 
like  insane  persons  with  fire-arms.  It  has  fallen  to  our  lot 
some  three  or  four  times,  in  the  course  of  our  public  life,  to 
see  men  of  good,  3*ea,  even  of  splendid  talents,  who  were  dis- 
honest. They  would  find  their  way  easily  into  the  affections 
of  others,  who  were  generally  honest  themselves,  and  there- 
fore unsuspecting.  When  once  the  bad  preacher  gets  en- 
throned in  the  affections  of  a  church  or  congregation,  it  is 
very  difficult  to  give  him  up.  The}-  admire  his  eloquence, 
are  captivated  Ivv  his  winning  ways.  They  hear  evil  reports 
concerning  him,  but  they  cannot  believe  them.  If  they  be- 
lieved them,  they  would  not  sustain  him  for  a  single  hour. 
But  all  seems  improbable  to  them.  It  is  so  different  from  his 
preaching,  from  his  professions,  and  his  public  walk,  that 
they  cannot  believe  the  evil  spoken  of  him.  When  they  go 
to  him  with  these  matters,  he  will  always  have  some  expla- 
nation on  the  tip  of  his  tongue,  for  his  mind  (perhaps  from 
long  practice),  will  be  familiar  with  all  kinds  of  pretexts, 
expedients,  and  tergiversations.  He  will  have  some  way  to 
turn,  some  excuse  to  give,  which  will  serve  his  purposes  for 
the  time.  But  this  state  of  things  cannot  long  be.  There 
must  be  a  denotement,  an  end.  Sin,  by  the  decree  of  God, 
can  have  no  long  triumphs.  But  in  the  case  of  a  pastor,  the 
consequences  will  often  be  lamentable.  All  the  members  of 
the  society  will  not  get  their  eyes  open  at  once.  Some  will 
honestly  take  the  ground  that  he  is  a  bad  man  and  must 
vacate  his  office ;  and  others  with  equal  honesty  will  believe 
that  he  is  innocent  and  ought  to  be  sustained.  And  so  divi- 
sions come,  and  societies  have  thus  been  shaken  and  rent. 


182  MEMOIR    OF 

"  The  pure  and  impure  will  suffer  together,  because  all  will 
be  suspected.  '  Whom  can  we  trust  ? '  will  be  the  inquiry.  But 
let  it  be  remembered  that  bad  ministers  furnish  no  argument 
against  the  genuineness  of  religion.  These  men  are  not  bad 
because  they  practise  the  religion  they  recommend  to  others, 
but  because  they  do  not.  It  is  not  their  religion,  but  their  want 
of  it  which  makes  them  wicked  men.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind, 
too,  that  where  there  is  one  minister  who  falls  there  are  one 
hundred  who  do  not ;  and  if  you  denounce  the  whole,  you 
make  ninety  and  nine  innocent  persons  suffer  for  the  sins  of 
one  man." 

Mr.  Whittemore  is  present  at  the  Rockingham  Association, 
this  year,  at  Epping,  N.H.  The  weather  during  the  meetings 
was  excellent,  the  discourses  were  highly  acceptable  to  the 
hearers,  and  the  conference  meetings  very  enjoyable.  Mr. 
Whittemore  preached  the  last  afternoon.  He  says  of  the 
session  that  it  partook  more  of  the  former  character  of  the 
meetings  of  this  body  than  any  session  of  recent  years. 

He  was  unable  to  attend  the  United  States  Convention 
which  met  this  year  at  Hartford,  Ct. 

In  one  of  his  editorials,  we  find  these  truthful  thoughts  on 
the  ignorance  of  the  Universalist  faith  so  prevalent  even 
among  the  professed  lovers  and  advocates  of  the  Christian 
religion  :  "  Ignorance  is  the  great  foe  of  Uuiversalism.  This 
doctrine  will  be  fully  embraced  by  every  person  who  full}' 
understands  it.  It  is  so  agreeable  to  reason,  to  the  Scriptures 
property  interpreted,  and  to  the  benevolence  of  the  hum:m 
heart,  that  to  be  believed  it  needs  only  to  be  understood. 
Tin-  most  of  those  who  reject  it  are  deceived  in  regard  to  the 
character  of  the  doctrine.  There  is  wide-spread  misrepresen- 
tation. We  ask  the  privilege  of  explaining  our  own  doctrine. 
\Ve  «lo  entreat  most  earnestly  of  the  community  that  they 
will  not  receive  the  misrepresentations  of  our  enemies  as  pure 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  183 

Universalism.  How  can  a  man  be  qualified  to  explain  Uni- 
versalisru  who  never  read  a  book  on  the  subject  nor  heard  a 
lecture  designed  to  illustrate  it?  And  yet  is  it  not  true  that 
a  large  majority  of  the  opponents  of  Universalism  at  the 
present  day  never  avail  themselves  of  any  means  to  become 
acquainted  with  that  doctrine?  Ignorance  is  the  cause  of 
all  opposition  to  this  sentiment.  However  wise  the  oppo- 
nents of  this  doctrine  may  be  in  other  respects,  they  are  cer- 
tainly ignorant  of  the  doctrine  itself.  It  was  said  of  old, 
'  the  world  by  wisdom  (or  philosophy)  knew  not  God.'  So 
we  say,  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  Universalism.  Men 
who  stand  highest  in  worldly  wisdom  may  be  the  greatest 
f6ols  in  regard  to  religion.  The  ancient  Greeks  were  very 
wise  men ;  but  to  them  Christianity  was  foolishness.  They 
were  ignorant  where  they  needed  the  highest  wisdom.  The 
way  to  convert  men  is  to  instruct  them.  Let  every  means  be 
used  to  spread  abroad  a  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  and  when 
the  happy  time  shall  come  that  knowledge  shall  cover  the 
earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea,  the  truth  shall  be  known, 
believed,  loved,  and  rejoiced  in  by  the  whole  intelligent  crea- 
tion. Amen." 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  Moderator  of  the  Boston  Associa- 
tion which  met  this  year  with  the  First  Society  in  Lowell. 
Four  discourses  were  preached,  and  a  social  conference  held. 
The  clerk  of  the  session  reports  :  ' '  The  business  of  the  Asso- 
ciation was  very  harmonious ;  and,  although  that  part  of  it 
referring  to  a  subject  of  discipline  was  of  an  unwelcome 
nature,  it  was  met  and  disposed  of  in  a  spirit  of  brotherly 
kindness  and  courtesy  becoming  professors  of  the  just  and 
merciful  doctrine  of  the  Gospel." 

In  an  editorial  on  Christian  progress,  he  writes:  "It  is 
the  duty  of  men  —  of  Christians  —  to  go  forward.  But  let  us 
understand  this  matter.  What  is  meant  by  going  forward? 


184  MEMOIR   OF 

If  real  improvement,  then  let  us  move  on.  We  confess  that 
to  go  forward  is  very  desirable ;  but  if  a  man  be  on  the 
wrong  road,  with  his  face  the  wrong  way,  then  the  more  he 
goes  forward  the  worse  it  is  for  him,  and  for  all  who  are  led 
by  him.  The  Calvinist  may  say,  Let  us  go  forward  :  and 
may  lead  his  votaries  farther  into  the  darkness  of  his  gloomy 
religion.  This  in  his  view  is  progress.  On  the  other  hand. 
the  Rationalist  cries,  Let  us  go  forward ;  and  he  leads  men 
farther  into  the  mysteries  and  fog  of  his  so-called  Rationalism. 
The  Atheist  calls  on  men  to  go  forward ;  and  he  would  lead 
them  to  doubt  every  thing,  believe  nothing,  and  sink  down 
to  a  level  almost  with  the  brute  creation.  All  are  for  prog- 
ress. Progress  is  an  enchanting  word.  It  has  a  peculiar 
music  for  the  ears  of  young  men.  This  class  are  always  wise. 
The}-  know  many  things  ;  but  there  is  one  thing  they  do  not 
seem  to  know,  and  that  is,  that  they  are  not  so  wise  probably 
now  as  the}-  will  be  by  and  by. 

"Real  progress  is  desirable,  —  progress  towards  the  truth 
and  in  the  truth.  The  pathway  of  the  truthful  and  just  is 
always  increasing  in  brightness.  We  wish  to  make  progress 
in  the  faith  of  Universalism.  We  would  increase  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Here  we  find  a  wisdom 
so  great  that  the  wisest  men  never  went  beyond  it.  An-  we 
told  that  it  is  conservatism  to  stand  by  the  Bible  ?  It  is,  and 
a  very  salutary  conservatism  too." 

He  is  addressed  by  a  correspondent  who  avers  that  the 
Trumpet  is  too  controversial.  He  replies :  "In  the  begin- 
ning of  Christianity,  the  disciples  were  commanded  to  defend 
it,  to  '  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints.'  This  was  necessary,  because  it  was  continually  at- 
tacked. It  was  worthy  of  being  defended.  Universalism  is, 
in  many  respects,  in  the  situation  of  Christianity  at  the  out- 
set. It  is  little  understood ;  it  is  violently  opposed ;  its 


THOMAS    \VIIITTEMORE.  185 

friends  are  few  compared  with  those  upon  the  other  side  ;  the 
wealth  and  worldly  power  are  principally  in  the  hands  of  its 
enemies  ;  and  all  kinds  of  unjustifiable  means  are  resorted  to 
to  put  it  down.  Shall  we,  then,  permit  the  truth  to  be  sacri- 
ficed? or  shall  we  stand  up  manfully  and  defend  it? 

"  We  have  taken  our  ground.  We  shall  defend  the  truth. 
It  must  be  made  known.  It  has  many  feeble  friends  who 
follow  it,  as  Peter  followed  his  Master  after  the  latter  was 
arrested,  '  afar  off.'  The  power  of  sectarian  influence  is  so 
strong,  that  many  perhaps  who  secretly  believe  in  Univer- 
salism  do  not  openly  avow  it.  Shall  we,  then,  be  faithless  ? 
Surely  not.  Therefore,  our  paper  for  the  present  must  be 
controversial.  Gladly  would  we  cease  the  shrill  warlike 
sound,  and  utter  tones  of  sweetest  harmon}-.  The  time  will 
come  when  the  truth  will  not  be  opposed,  but  that  time  is  not 
yet.  The  Trumpet,  however,  will  not  be  wholly  controversial. 
There  are  other  things  to  be  done.  Fields  are  to  be  culti- 
vated and  harvests  to  be  gathered  in.  The  first  settlers  of 
our  country  found  tune  to  till  the  ground,  although  they  had 
to  work  with  the  implements  of  agriculture  in  one  hand,  and 
of  defence  in  the  other.  We  must  not  fail  at  an}*  time  in 
the  midst  of  the  warmest  conflicts  to  inculcate  and  practise 
the  Christian  virtues." 


186  MEMOIR   OF 


CHAPTER     X. 

1849-1851. 
AGED   49-51. 

The  Railroad  President  —  Visit  to  Bath,  Me.  —  Anniversary  Week  — 
Massachusetts  Convention  —  Universalism  dear  to  Universalists  — 
Religious  Insanity  —  Visit  to  the  West —  U.S.  Convention  at  Cincin- 
nati —  Fugitive-slave  Law  —  Notice  of  book — Visit  to  Montpelier,  Vt 

—  Boston  Association  —  Bibliotheca  Sacra  —  Controversy  —  Sugges- 
tion to  stop  preaching,  and  Reply  —  Letter  of  Rev.  John  Foster  — 
Anniversary  Week  and   Reform   Association  —  Speech  —  Revivals, 
how  regarded  —  Massachusetts  Convention  in  Milford  —  Sabbath  at 
Medf ord  —  The  Bible  and  Creeds  —  Execution  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Webster 

—  U.S.   Convention    in    Buffalo,   N.Y. —  Niagara  —  Address  before 
Samaritan   Society  —  Rev.  J.  Wesley  and  Dr.  A.  Clarke  —  Women's 
Convention  at  Worcester  —  Death  of  Rev.   M.  Rayner  —  Professor 
Stuart  and  his  Opinions. 

IT  was  in  the  year  1849  that  Mr.  "Whittemore's  connection 
with  the  railroads  of  Massachusetts  commenced.  "  One 
hundred  millions  of  dollars  had  been  invested  in  railroads  in 
that  State.  The  roads  first  built  were  prosperous,  such  as 
the  Lowell,  the  Worcester,  the  Fitchburg,  the  Eastern.  This 
fact  increased  the  railroad  mania ;  and,  because  the  railroads 
which  had  a  terminus  in  Boston  were  good  property,  it  was 
hastily  concluded  that  all  others  would  be.  Due  allowance 
was  not  made  for  the  greater  cost  of  building  railroads  among 
the  mountains,  sometimes  crossing  rivers  at  every  mile,  the 
roads  being  left  therefore  exposed  to  destructive  freshets. 
Neither  was  due  allowance  given  to  the  fact,  that,  unless  a 
road  should  have  a  profitable  through  business,  the  farther  it 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  187 

was  extended  into  a  sparsely  settled  country,  the  smaller  its 
business  must  be.  That  the  railroad  mania  has  been  a  ben- 
efit to  the  whole  country  there  is  no  doubt,  albeit  it  has  been 
decidedly  the  reverse  to  those  at  whose  expense  the  interior 
roads  were  built.  These  different  lines  of  interior  roads  were 
pressed  on  to  completion,  with  subscriptions  to  their  capital 
stock  altogether  inadequate  to  the  expenditures.  It  was  soon 
found  that  railroads  could  not  be  built  without  large  amounts 
of  money.  Many  persons  became  fearful  of  loss,  and  hesi- 
tated, and  some  at  last  refused  to  pay  for  the  shares  for  which 
they  had  subscribed.  These  things  threw  the  executive 
officers  of  these  boards  into  great  embarrassments.  They 
had  either  to  stop  the  works  as  they  were,  and  thus  sink  all 
the}'  had  invested,  or  they  had  to  raise  money  by  extraordi- 
nary means.  The  roads  became  greatly  in  debt.  The}" 
were  obliged  to  borrow  money ;  and,  as  their  paper  was  mis- 
trusted, thej-  had  to  pay  high  commissions  to  individual 
indorsers. 

' '  A  crisis  had  come  ;  and  certain  of  the  large  stockholders 
in  the  Vermont  and  Massachusetts  Railroad  applied  to  Mr. 
AVhittemore  to  allow  himself  to  be  run  as  a  candidate  for  a 
seat  at  the  board.  This  was  done  for  the  avowed  purpose  of 
changing  the  character  of  the  board  almost  entirely,  and  the 
proposition  produced  a  great  opposition  from  the  friends  of 
the  old  directors.  The  new  ticket,  however,  prevailed  by  a 
large  majority.  This  happened  in  February,  and  in  the 
course  of  the  following  summer  the  former  president  resigned, 
and  Mr.  'NVhittemore  was  elected  in  his  place.  The  new  board 
had  great  difficulties  to  overcome,  — land  damages  to  be  set- 
tled, a  series  of  suits  in  the  courts,  buildings  to  be  erected,  a 
branch  road  to  be  finished  ;  and  they  also  found  the  corpora- 
tion floating  on  a  sea  of  debt,  on  which  it  was  doubtful  how 
much  longer  they  should  be  able  to  keep  it  afloat.  The  new 


188  MEMOIR   OF 

board  scanned  all  these  matters  carefulbj,  and  were  not  long 
in  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  upwards  of  a  million  of 
dollars  must  be  raised,  and  that  the  best  way  to  raise  the  sum 
would  be  b}'  the  issue  of  bonds  secured  by  the  mortgage  of  the 
road.  This  measure  was  carried  through,  and  bonds  to  the 
amount  of  $1,100,000  were  issued  and  sold  at  a  sacrifice  of 
from  twelve  to  twenty  per  cent.  This  measure  gave  great  re- 
lief for  the  tune.  Great  care  had  been  exercised  in  the  ex- 
penditures on  this  road  ;  every  effort  was  made  to  increase  its 
business,  and,  so  far  as  possible,  to  get  a  remunerative  price 
for  it.  Mr.  "Whittemore  took  a  deep  interest  in  aiding  the 
project  of  a  tunnel  through  the  Hoosac  Mountain,  at  North 
Adams,  Mass. ,  which  would  remove  the  last  objection  to  a 
through  road  from  Boston  to  Troy,  N.Y.,  via  Northern  Massa- 
chusetts, —  twenty  miles  shorter  than  the  Western  Railroad, 
and  with  but  slight  grades.  While  the  subject  of  a  loan  for 
this  object  was  before  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  in 
the  spring  of  1851,  Mr.  Whittemore  wrote  man}'  articles  in 
aid ;  the  chief  of  which  was  his  pamphlet  entitled,  '  A  Letter 
to  a  Boston  Representative,'  &c.  If  this  tunnel  should  be 
made,  that  part  of  the  Vermont  and  Massachusetts  Railroad 
between  Fitchburg  and  Greenfield  —  fifty  miles  —  would  con- 
stitute a  very  important  part  of  the  line.  With  the  aid  of  a 
careful  and  untiring  board  of  directors,  Mr.  Whittemore  con- 
ducted the  corporation  through  a  series  of  trials  which  seemed 
at  first  almost  utterly  overwhelming."  l 

In  May  of  this  year  (1849),  Mr.  Whittemore  visited  Bath, 
Me.  He  preached  there  on  Sunday.  He  writes  :  "  The  first 
service  we  attended  was  that  of  the  dedication  of  two  children 
of  a  gentleman,  the  husband  of  a  young  lady  formerly  of  the 
society  in  Cambridgeport.  The  family  seemed  happy  to  see 
the  face  of  their  former  pastor  once  more.  On  returning  to 
1  Sketches  of  Eminent  Americana. 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  189 

Brother  Brooks's  house  (the  pastor's) ,  we  were  gratified  to 
find  that  Father  Stetson,  of  Brunswick,  had  arrived.  He  had 
travelled  on  foot  ten  miles  to  attend  the  meeting.  The  good 
old  man  was  formerly  an  orthodox  clergyman  of  the  strait- 
est  sect,  and,  as  such,  was  settled  in  Plj-mouth,  Mass.  He 
tasted  the  bitter  cup  of  woe  which  his  belief  prepared  for  him  ; 
and.  after  suffering  indescribable  agonies  of  mind,  he  was  de- 
livered by  being  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  of 
Universal  grace,  —  a  mere}*  for  which  he  has  never-  since 
ceased  to  praise  God.  Brothers  Dillingham,  of  Augusta, 
and  Bailey,  the  Missionary  in  that  State,  were  present.  A 
church  was  recognized  and  the  Lord's  Supper  observed. 
During  the  visit,  a  little  son  of  the  pastor,  Elbridge  Streeter, 
was  dedicated." 

Anniversary*  week  again  in  Boston.  The  third  meeting  of 
the  Uuiversalist  Reform  Association  was  held.  The  day  was 
very  rainy,  but  the  audience  was  quite  respectable  in  numbers. 
An  able  report  was  read  by  Rev.  Henry  Bacon.  It  took  a  wise 
and  comprehensive  view  of  the  whole  field  of  Christian  reform. 
The  Festival  at  Bo3~lston  Hall  was  a  very  enjoyable  one. 
Four  hundred  were  at  the  tables.  Thomas  Goddard,  Esq., 
presided.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present,  and  was  called  upon 
to  address  the  compan}',  but  declined  because  of  the  lateness 
of  the  hour. 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  of  Universalists  held  its 
annual  session  this  year  in  Salem.  Mr.  Whittemore  offered 
the  following  resolutions,  which  were  discussed,  and  finally 
passed :  — 

' '  Resolved,  that  capital  punishment  is  opposed  to  the  spirit 
of  Jesus  and  his  Gospel. 

' '  Resolved,  that  it  is  our  duty  to  S3inpathize  with  all  who 
suffer,  especiaUy  with  the  victims  of  violence,  if  living,  and, 
if  dead,  with  their  friends ;  but  we  do  not  see  that  capital 


190  MEMOIR    OF 

punishment  has  had  any  influence  in  restraining  violence,  nor 
do  we  believe  it  is  the  best  means  for  that  purpose. 

"  Resolved,  that  we  regard  capital  punishment  as  essentially 
wrong  ;  and  we  will  pray  and  work  for  its  abolition." 

He  was  chosen  to  report  the  condition  of  the  cause  of  Uni- 
versalism  in  Massachusetts  at  the  next  session  of  the  United 
States  Convention. 

In  an  article  entitled,  "  Universalism  beloved  of  Universal- 
ists,"  Mr.  Whittemore  notices  a  statement  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bel- 
lows, that  union  between  Unitarians  and  Universalists  can 
never  take  place  on  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation,  in  any 
popular  sense  of  that  phrase ;  a  doctrine,  he  (Dr.  Bellows) 
adds,  "  which  every  day's  experience,  every  day's  progress  in 
spiritual  science,  in  the  knowledge  of  the  intellectual  and 
moral  constitution  of  man,  will  make  less  true  and  less  in- 
teresting, until  it  becomes  an  unmeaning  phrase."  Mr. 
Whittemore  remarks  :  ' '  Does  Mr.  Bellows  suppose  that  such 
a  state  of  things  will  ever  take  place  ?  Does  he  think  that 
Universalists  are  losing  their  attachment  to  the  great  doctrine 
that  all  men  are  in  the  hands  of  a  kind  Father,  who  is  train- 
ing them  all,  by  various  means  of  trial  and  discipline,  for  the 
enjoyment  of  purity  and  happiness  ?  If  he  has  such  a  notion, 
he  is  suffering  under  a  self-formed  delusion.  There  is  not 
the  slightest  prospect  of  any  such  thing.  We  do  not  believe 
that  there  ever  was  a  time  when  the  doctrine  of  the  final  holi- 
ness and  happiness  of  all  men  was  more  precious  in  the  eyes 
of  all  Universalists  than  it  is  at  the  present  moment.  We 
are  desirous  of  living  in  union  with  all  sects  of  Christians  ;  but 
we  can  never  purchase  union  with  any  sect  under  the  heavens 
by  the  surrender  of  what  we  believe  to  be  God's  truth.  Give 
up  Universalism !  What  shah1  we  have  in  its  stead  ?  If  we 
could  find  any  thing  better,  we  should  think  it  true  ;  but  there 
can  be  nothing  better.  Therefore  we  have  the  highest  evi- 


THOMAS    WILITTEMORE.  191 

dence  that  it  is  the  doctrine  of  God.  Besides,  what  an  in- 
auspicious moment  in  which  to  give  up  the  doctrine  !  Give  it 
up  at  the  very  moment  when  the  evangelical  sects  are  coming 
to  believe  it ;  when  some  of  the  greatest  scholars,  the  profound- 
est  philosophers,  the  most  eminent  divines  in  Europe,  are 
avowing  their  faith  in  it !  How  can  any  one  suppose  such  an 
absurdity  ?  If  Dr.  Bellows  has  any  hope  of  promoting  a  union 
between  Universalists  and  Unitarians  on  the  ground  of  re- 
nunciation of  the  distinctive  doctrine  held  by  the  former,  he 
may  as  well  dismiss  that  hope  now  as  at  any  future  time,  for 
it  never  will  be  realized." 

In  noticing  a  statement  of  the  Congregational  Journal  of 
New  Hampshire,  that  some  of  the  inmates  of  the  insane 
hospital  of  that  State  "  were  the  dupes  of  Millerism,  cheated 
not  only  out  of  their  estates,  but  of  their  intellects,  by  a  de- 
lusion as  prevalent  as  it  was  absurd  ;  "  Mr.  Whittemore  asks  : 
"  And  who  were  the  abettors  of  Millerism?  It  is  an  unde- 
niable fact  that  the  clergy  called  '  evangelical '  were  willing  to 
make  use  of  that  delusion  for  the  purpose  of  getting  up  revivals, 
and  filling  up  their  churches  with  members.  Generally  they 
were  wise  enough  not  to  commit  themselves  fully  and  entirely  ; 
but  still  they  did  not  at  the  tune  pronounce  Millerism  an 
error.  They  were  willing  to  have  it  preached  ;  they  opened 
their  meeting-houses  readily  to  Miller  and  his  disciples  ;  they 
fsaid  they  did  not  know  but  it  might  be  true  ;  it  was  best  to  be 
prepared.  And  in  this  way,  without  committing  themselves, 
they  gave  Miller  countenance,  and  made  use  of  his  theory  to 
excite  the  people  for  the  purposes  above  named.  Had  the 
Congregational,  Baptist,  and  the  Methodist  clergy  taken  a 
decided  stand  against  Millerism,  it  would  have  been  com- 
paratively a  harmless  thing.  Miller  could  have  produced  but 
little  or  no  excitement.  They  gave  him  countenance  ;  they 
supplied  him  with  hearers  ;  they  furnished  him  with  inflamma- 


192  MEMOIR    OF 

ble  material,  and  were  glad  to  see  him  set  it  on  fire,  because 
the}'  hoped  to  profit  by  the  excitement.  But  now  that  the 
deception  has  profited  them  all  it  can,  they  cry  out  against  it 
with  loud  voices,  and  denounce  it  as  one  of  the  delusions  of 
our  tunes." 

Mr.  "Whittemore  was  a  delegate  to  the  United  States  Con- 
vention, which  met  this  year  in  Cincinnati,  O.  His  engage- 
ments in  and  about  Boston  were  so  many  at  the  time,  that  he 
would  not  have  undertaken  the  journey  had  he  not  believed 
that  it  was  his  absolute  duty  to  go.  He  left  Boston  on  Thurs- 
day, Sept.  27,  and  was  four  da3~s  on  his  way  to  Cincinnati. 
His  letters  descriptive  of  the  journe}',  in  the  Trumpet,  were 
full  of  his  observations  made  while  on  his  passage.  He  pre- 
sided at  the  meeting  of  the  Universalist  Historical  Society,  on 
one  of  the  days  of  the  Convention,  and  presented  its  claims  to 
the  congregation  at  the  taking  up  of  a  collection  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  Society's  librarj'. 

His  conservatism  as  an  American  citizen  is  sorely  tried 
about  these  days.  He  always  deemed  himself  a  ••  law  and 
order  "  man,  and  had  never  joined  the  radical  abolitionists  in 
their  peculiar  measures  in  opposition  to  slaver}-  in  the  South- 
ern States.  But  a  crisis  has  now  come,  calling  for  a  five 
expression  of  his  mind  in  reference  to  some  of  the  extreme 
movements  of  the  slaveholders  to  sustain  "the  institution." 
The  Fugitive-slave  Law  has  been  enacted  by  Congress,  and 
all  persons  in  the  non-slaveholding  States  are  called  upon  to 
use  their  endeavors  to  sustain  it.  He  has  no  disposition 
whatever  to  do  any  such  thing.  And  thus  he  discourses  in 
one  of  his  editorials  :  — 

"  It  is  due  to  ourselves,  to  our  readers,  and  specially  to  our 
readers  in  the  Southern  States,  that  we  express  the  public 
feeling  of  the  North  in  regard  to  the  law  for  reclaiming 
fugitive  slaves.  We  hold,  in  the  language  of  the  Declaration 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  193 

of  Independence,  '  that  all  men  are  created  equal,  that  they 
are  endowed  by  their  Creator  with  certain  unalienable  rights  ; 
that  among  these  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happi- 
ness.' This  certainly  did  not  mean  to  exclude  a  certain 
part  of  mankind  from  the  possession  of  these  rights ;  it  was 
meant  as  the  assertion  of  a  great  and  wholesome  political 
truth,  the  basis  of  our  Independence.  The  question  of  slavey 
is  one  of  great  difficulty.  We  suppose  it  is  conceded  on  all 
hands  that  it  is  a  violation  of  the  natural  laws  of  man ;  but 
how  is  this  country  to  get  rid  of  it?  That's  the  question. 
As  it  respects  that  question,  we  know  not  what  to  do,  nor  what 
advice  to  give,  except  that  the  subject  should  be  discussed 
dispassionately. 

' '  But  the  new  law,  —  the  Fugitive  Slave  law,  —  unlike  any 
other  we  have  before  had,  has  created  a  new  sore.  It  is 
unjust  to  our  Southern  brethren  to  hide  the  fact  that  it  has 
roused  a  spirit  in  New  England  which  has  scarcely  been  paral- 
leled since  the  times  of  1770  and  1775.  It  is  regarded  as 
highly  unconstitutional.  It  sets  aside,  it  is  said,  the  writ  of 
habeas  corpus, — that  great  guardian  of  personal  liberty ; 
whereas  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  declares  (sect. 
ix.  part  2)  :  '  The  privilege  of  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  SHALL 
NOT  be  suspended,  unless  when,  in  cases  of  rebellion  or  in- 
vasion, the  public  safety  may  require  it.'  We  have  not  a  copy 
of  the  law  at  hand  ;  but,  if  it  sets  aside  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus, 
it  surely  is  unconstitutional.  Should  it  be  said  that  the  writ 
of  habeas  corpus  is  not  designed  for  the  protection  of  slaves, 
as  they  are  not  citizens,  we  reply  that  the  question  pending 
is,  whether  the  person  arrested  is  a  slave  ;  and  at  any  rate  he 
has  a  right  to  the  benefit  until  it  is  proved  that  he  is  a  slave. 
If  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus  is  suspended,  what  man  is  safe  ? 
A  free  man  —  black,  mulatto,  yellow,  or  some  other  color 
—  may  be  seized.  He  is  hurried  before  a  commissioner. 

13 


194  MEMOIR  OF 

Some  person  swears  he  is  a  slave.  The  writ  of  habeas  corpus 
has  no  effect.  He  cannot  stay  proceedings  ;  he  has  not  the 
right,  under  the  new  law,  to  have  the  question  of  his  liberty 
settled  in  the  State  of  which  he  may  truly  be  a  citizen  ;  and 
he  is  hurried  off  the  Lord  knows  where. 

"  In  what  we  now  say,  our  object  is  to  show  the  state  of  pub- 
lic feeling  which  this  law  has  created  in  New  England.  Now 
York,  and,  perhaps,  in  all  the  Free  States.  Public  meetings 
have  been  very  generally  holden.  Among  the  colored  popu- 
lation, of  course,  a  determined  resistance  to  the  law  is  con- 
templated. They  say  that  under  this  new  law  there  is  no 
protection  for  them  ;  and  they  will  resist  seizure  unto  death. 
If  they  slay  the  marshal  of  the  district,  the}'  say,  in  defence 
of  liberty,  they  certainly  shall  be  held  in  Massachusetts  for 
trial ;  and  they  would  run  the  risk  of  a  trial  for  murder  in 
Massachusetts,  under  such  circumstances,  sooner  than  to  be 
carried  off  into  slavery.  But  the  excitement  is  by  no  moans 
confined  to  them.  Men  who  have  never  interfered  with  the 
subject  of  slavery  are  aroused  on  this  new  movement.  The 
churches  and  their  ministers  are.  The  Northern  men  who  voted 
for  this  law  will  find  it  very  difficult  to  maintain  their  political 
standing  among  the  people. 

*'  The  religious  periodicals  of  all  the  sects  will  speak  in  un- 
mistakable terms  against  this  law.  These  extracts  (a  num- 
ber of  which  he  has  given)  will  show  most  conclusively  the 
feeling  of  which  we  have  spoken.  The  cause  of  Anti-slavery 
is  greatly  strengthened  by  it." 

In  a  notice  of  a  book  announced  in  the  West,  to  be  entitled, 
"The  Doctrine  of  Future  and  Endless  Punishment  logically 
proved  in  a  critical  Examination  of  such  Passages  of  Scripture 
as  relate  to  the  Final  Destiny  of  Man  ;"  by  Rev.  R.  N.  Coon, 
he  cannot  resist  an  inclination  to  say  of  the  author:  k-  We 
think  Mr.  Coon  is  going  up  the  wrong  tree.  Why  does  he 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  195 

take  to  the  tree  of  damnation  ?  Why  does  he  not  choose  the 
tree  of  life?" 

In  November,  he  visits  Montpelier,  Vt.,  for  the  first  time. 
On  his  way  by  Bellows  Falls,  he  notes  with  minuteness  the 
places  and  scenery  which  come  under  his  observation.  Of 
Montpelier  he  writes :  "  It  is  embosomed  among  the  hills. 
Come  from  which  quarter  }*ou  may,  you  must  descend  to  find 
the  village.  We  had  business  at  the  State  House,  and  one 
of  the  first  men  whom  we  met  in  the  building  was  our  friend 
and  brother  Rev.  Eli  Ballon,  the  Universalist  clerg3"man  of 
this  region,  and  editor  of  the  Universalist  Watchman.  The 
Onion  or  Winooski  River  runs  through  the  village.  The 
principal  streets  are  State  and  Main.  The  State  House 
stands  on  the  first  named,  towards  the  western  terminus  of 
the  village.  It  was  the  first  object  we  saw  on  going  in  ;  and 
waving  above  the  dome  was  the  State  flag. 

••We  visited  the  Legislature,  —  both  branches.  It  was  a 
dignified  bod}" ;  not  one  whit  below  the  Legislature  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. We  had  occasion  to  avail  ourself  of  the  kindness 
of  the  Librarian  and  Secretary  of  State,  both  of  whom  sought 
to  promote  our  objects  with  as  little  discomfort  to  ourself  as 
possible.  There  are  in  this  State  upwards  of  forty  preachers 
of  the  Reconciliation ;  and  if  twelve  illiterate  fishermen, 
aided  by  the  power  of  divine  truth,  could  fill  Jerusalem  with 
their  doctrine,  what  may  not  these  forty  do  in  Vermont,  if 
they  shall  be  truly  faithful  to  their  Master?  " 

The  Boston  Association  was  held  this  year  at  Beverly. 
Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  during  some  of  the  meetings, 
and  speaks  of  the  sessions  in  terms  of  strong  approval.  He 
gives  in  his  paper  the  names  of  the  ministers  who  were 
present,  and  also  of  those  who  were  not  present,  stating 
the  causes  of  their  absence.  Most  of  these  causes  are 
marked  "  unknown."  Some  were,  "  illness,"  "  business," 


196  MEMOIR  OF 

"  teaching."     One  of  the  reasons  assigned  was,  "  exceeding 
love  of  home." 

He  congratulates  the  conductors  of  the  BibUotheca  Sacra, 
a  popular  orthodox  monthly,  for  an  able  article  he  had  just 
been  reading  in  its  pages,  on  the  retributive  justice  of  God  in 
the  present  life.  He  considers  the  article  an  evidence  of 
advancement  towards  the  truth  as  the  Scriptures  affirm  it. 
Of  this  inflexible  justice,  this  article  in  the  monthly  says : 
"  It  links  together  human  crime  and  human  suffering,  the 
vices  and  the  miseries  of  men,  so  that  the  one  shall  follow 
the  other  unvariably,  as  sound  and  echo  pursue  each  other 
along  the  mountain  side.  There  is  with  it  no  respect  of  per- 
sons, no  taking  of  bribes.  With  its  whip  of  scorpions  it 
pursues  the  wrong-doer,  whoever  he  may  be,  wherever  he 
may  go ;  tracks  him  into  eveiy  obscurity,  finds  him  out  in 
the  deepest  retirement  and  the  darkest  night ;  overtakes  him 
in  his  swiftest  escape,  and  like  the  terrible  avenger  pursues 
and  hangs  over  him  wherever  he  takes  his  way."  This  is 
precisel}'  what  Universalists  had  been  constantly  preaching, 
and  what  many  of  the  so-called  orthodox  teachers  seemed  to 
have  overlooked  in  their  eagerness  to  make  the  fear  of  end- 
less punishment  an  inducement  with  men  to  secure  their 
salvation. 

Again  he  speaks  in  defence  of  Christian  controversy, 
induced  to  do  so  by  an  article  in  the  Christian  Secretary 
deprecating  it.  "  Controversy  is  not  what  we  love.  We 
prefer  peace  rather  than  war.  The  ear  drinks  in  the  smooth 
and  soothing  notes  of  concord,  rather  than  the  smart  and 
startling  alarm  of  the  war-trumpet.  But  with  all  our  love  of 
peace  we  must  not  cry  'peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no 
peace.'  If  we  see  the  enemy  approaching  and  give  not  the 
alarm,  we  must  suffer  the  anathema  maranuthu.  As  much  then 
as  we  love  peace,  we  shall  hold  out  no  white  flag  to  the 


THOMAS    WIIITTEMORE.  197 

enem}' ;  we  shall  make  no  compromise  with  error ;  we  shall 
'  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.' 
The  Christian  course  is  a  warfare.  The  Christian  has  a 
helmet,  a  shield,  a  breastplate,  a  sword.  He  must  wrestle  or 
contend,  not  merely  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  with  principal- 
it  irs  and  powers  and  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places.  Let 
those  who  feel  the  weakness  of  their  cause  deprecate  contro- 
versy ;  we  should  expect  them  to  do  so  :  but  the  true  servant 
of  Jesus  will  be  ready  always  to  contend  for  his  Master's 
honor.  The  time  has  not  come  to  lay  our  armor  by.  We 
say  to  our  soul,  hi  the  language  of  the  poet :  — 

'  O  watch,  and  fight,  and  pray, 
The  battle  ne'er  give  o'er; 
Renew  it  boldly  every  day, 
And  help  divine  implore. ' " 

On  a  suggestion  made  to  him  to  "  stop  preaching  Univer- 
salism,"  he  writes:  "'Well,  Mr.  Whittemore,'  said  an  op- 
ponent a  few  days  since,  '  when  shall  you  stop  preaching 
Universalism  ? '  Stop  preaching  Universalism  !  said  we, — 
what  should  put  that  inquiry  into  your  head?  Never,  sir, 
while  we  live,  never.  Look  round  the  land,  sir ;  do  you  not 
see  one  hundred  persons  preaching  the  doctrine  of  endless 
misery  where  you  find  one  faithful  disciple  of  Jesus  preaching 
good  tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  people  ?  And  is  this  the 
time  to  cease  preaching  Universalism ?  No,  sir;  and  we  say 
to  all  who  believe  that  doctrine,  Preach  it ;  sow  it  among 
the  people  till  all  the  fields  are  green,  and  the  waving  grain 
of  truth  betokens  a  glorious  harvest." 

The  letter  of  Rev.  John  Foster,  a  distinguished  Baptist 
divine,  was  republished  in  this  country  about  these  days.  It 
disavowed  the  doctrine  of  eternal  punishment  in  the  strongest 
terms.  Mr.  Foster  was  a  man  who  could  not  be  easily  set 
aside  or  excommunicated,  so  strong  a  hold  had  he  on  the 


198  MEMOIR    OF 

respect  and  affection  of  the  sect  to  which  he  belonged.  The 
Universalists,  of  course,  welcomed  his  Letter ;  and  Mr. 
Whittemore  thus  speaks  in  reference  to  it :  — 

' '  It  was  a  severe  blow  to  our  partialist  brethren  when  the 
works  of  Rev.  John  Foster,  the  celebrated  English  Baptist, 
were  republished  in  this  country,  without  the  excision  of  such 
parts  as  assaulted  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment.  Many 
good  men  believe  that  this  doctrine  is  not  taught  in  the 
Sacred  Scriptures.  For  this  reason  among  others  they  do 
not  preach  it.  God  is  love,  and  as  he  is  love,  he  cannot  be 
the  author  of  interminable  pain  to  his  offspring.  The  doc- 
trine of  endless  punishment  has  been  very  generally  believed 
in  the  church ;  but  since  the  reformation,  under  the  labors  of 
Martin  Luther,  there  have  alwaj-s  been  found  some  men,  who 
were  bright  and  shining  lights  in  the  world,  who  would  not 
believe  it,  but  who  were  obliged  to  express  great  doubts 
whether  such  a  doctrine  could  be  true.  We  might  name 
among  them  Bishop  Newton,  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  Dr.  Barrow, 
Jeremy  Tajlor,  Jeremy  White,  Dr.  Samuel  Clark,  Dr.  Sam- 
uel Johnson,  Dr.  David  Hartley,  &c.,  and  in  later  times 
Robert  Hall  and  John  Foster  in  England,  and  Jung  Stilling 
and  a  thousand  others  in  German}*.  The  doctrine  of  endless 
torture  is  destined  to  fall,  like  a  ponderous  error,  to  the 
ground.  Like  some  old  dilapidated  tower,  it  already  trem- 
bles, and  gives  warning  of  the  coming  crash.  Let  it  fall. 
We  invite  our  Baptist  brethren  to  read  the  Letter  of  John 
Foster  on  endless  punishment ;  and,  if  consistent  with  their 
feelings,  we  would  recommend  them  to  publish  it  in  the  form 
of  a  tract  for  gratuitous  distribution.  They  have  hitherto 
done  so  much  harm  by  preaching  the  doctrine  referred  to, 
that  it  is  surely  time  for  them  to  seek  to  do  something  to 
counteract  it." 

Anniversary  Week  comes  again,  and  the  Reform  Associa- 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  199 

tion  has  its  place  among  the  attractions  of  the  occasion.  The 
meeting  was  held  in  the  School  Street  church.  There  was  a 
large  gathering,  and  a  Report  of  much  interest  was  read  by 
Rev.  Henry  Bacon.  Peace,  Temperance,  Anti-slavery, 
Anti-capital  Punishment,  and  Prison  Discipline  were  the 
themes  presented  and  ably  discussed.  Speeches  followed 
from  Rev.  Messrs.  H.  Ballou  2d,  E.  Thompson,  M.  Good- 
rich, T.  Whittemore,  S.  Cobb,  A.  A.  Miner,  W.  H.  Richard- 
son, O.  H.  Tillotson,  and  J.  G.  Adams.  Mr.  Whittemore 
said  (among  other  things)  :  "I  am  happ}-  that  no  speech 
shall  exceed  ten  minutes.  I  do  not  feel  encouraged  in  re- 
gard to  the  cause  of  Anti-slavery.  It  is  at  this  time  the 
all-absorbing  question  throughout  the  North.  The  other 
subjects  embraced  in  the  Secretan-'s  Report  are  very  im- 
portant; but  the  Anti-slavery  cause  for  its  vast  influence, 
for  its  intimate  .  connection  with  our  national  peace  and 
prosperity,  does,  in  its  immense  interest,  like  Aaron's  rod, 
swallow  up  the  rest.  But  I  do  not  feel  despondent.  "We 
have  now  a  state  of  things  we  have  never  seen  before.  I  can- 
not have  the  buoj'ancy  of  feeling  which  has  been  manifested 
by  my  brother  Thompson,  who  has  so  recently  sat  down ; 
indeed  I  feel  more  as  if  I  were  at  a  funeral  than  at  a  wed- 
ding. The  cause  of  Anti-slavery  was  never  in  so  bad  a  con- 
dition as  at  this  moment.  I  do  not  refer  to  the  late  riot  at 
New  York,  but  to  the  position  recently  taken  by  the  greatest 
of  our  Northern  statesmen.  He  has  forsaken  the  cause  of 
universal  freedom  at  the  very  moment  when  we  need  his 
aid  the  most ;  when  most  we  are  inclined  to  lean  upon  him, 
he  has  withdrawn  his  shoulder  from  us.  Oh  if  that  man,  in- 
stead of  what  he  has  done,  had  stood  firmly  b}-  the  cause  of 
human  rights,  what  a  pillar  of  defence  would  he  have  made  ! 
how  would  he  have  enshrined  himself  in  the  heart  of  every 
philanthropist  throughout  the  world !  how  well  then  might 


200  MKMOIR   OF 

this  vexing  question  of  Slavery  have  been  sealed  and  settled 
permanently  for  our  country !  We  had  hoped  that  Slavery 
would  be  extended  no  more  ;  that  we  might  say  to  it  '  hith- 
erto shalt  thou  come,  but  no  farther ;  and  here  shall  thy 
proud  waves  be  sta}"ed.'  But  we  are  destined  to  disappoint- 
ment, and  now  we  can  see  no  barrier  to  prevent  its  extend- 
ing South  and  West  for  a  long  time. 

"But  we  are  not  left  wholly  without  consolation.  The 
cause  we  have  espoused  is  just ;  and  though  our  great  men 
abandon  it,  it  remains  just.  Slavery  is  a  great  wrong,  and 
nothing  can  make  it  right.  What  is  wrong  must  sooner  or 
later  die.  It  must  be  a  curse  to  those  who  promote  it,  and 
none  can  even  connive  at  it  without  guilt.  It  is  lamentable 
that  this  great  matter  is  so  completely  in  the  hands  of  mere 
politicians."  He  spoke  at  some  length  very  earnestly,  when 
he  was  apprised  b}r  the  chair  that  his  ten  minutes  had  expired, 
and  he  took  his  seat. 

The  Festival  at  \Viut hrop  Hall,  Tremont  Row.  was  largely 
attended,  and  was  richly  enjoyed  l>y  the  company.  Mr. 
William  H.  Richardson,  Jr.,  of  Maiden,  presided,  and  made 
a  very  appropriate  opening  speech.  He  was  followed  by  Rev. 
Messrs.  E.  G.  Brooks,  T.  B.  Thayer,  H.  P.  Cutting,  II.  B. 
Soule,  T.  Starr  King,  J.  Bo}-den,  John  Moore,  S.  Streeter, 
Hosea  Ballou,  lion.  Richard  Frothingham,  and  others.  Father 
Ballon  was  in  his  happiest  mood.  Speaking  of  reform,  he 
said:  "This  work  of  reform  has  gone  on  so  effectually,  that 
even  the  old  God  himself  in  whom  the  theologians  used  to 
believe,  has  got  reformed.  He  is  so  changed  that  the  old 
clergy,  if  they  were  to  hear  him  described  now,  would  not 
know  him  !  The  old  divinity  is  gone.  Our  heavenly  Father 
has  become  our  real  Father.  The  work  is  going  on:  it  will 
go  on  to  the  end  and  prosper."  The  speeches  were  inter- 
spersed with  appropriate  songs  and  hymns. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMOEE.  201 

' '  Are  we  the  enemy  of  revivals  ?  "  is  a  question  which  he 
attempts  to  answer  in  an  editorial.  "  When  men  ignorant  of 
religion  are  brought  to  understand  and  believe  it,  religion  is 
revived  ;  and  when  disciples  increase  in  knowledge  and  faith, 
religion  is  revived.  Paul  exhorted  the  Colossians  to  hold  fast 
their  connection  with  the  head  (Christ) ,  '  from  which  all  the 
body,  by  joints  and  bands  having  nourishment  and  knit  to- 
gether, increaseth  with  the  increase  of  God.'  This  is  the 
true  spiritual  increase,  —  the  true  revival  of  religion  in  the 
hearts  of  believers.  The  disciples  said  to  Jesus,  '  Lord,  in- 
crease our  faith.'  '  And  the  Lord  make  you  to  increase  and 
abound  in  love  one  toward  another,  and  toward  all  men,  even 
as  we  do  toward  you '  (1  Thess.  iii.  12).  This  was  a  prayer 
for  a  revival  of  religion.  When  sinful  men  break  off  their 
sins  and  turn  to  righteousness  ;  when  believers  grow  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  God ;  when  the  practical  duties  of 
religion  are  more  strictly  attended  to,  we  have  surest  evidences 
of  a  true  revival  of  religion. 

'  •  Who  will  not  pra}~,  in  view  of  such  a  blessing,  '  O  Lord, 
revive  th}'  work  '  ?  But  how  blind  are  the  great  body  of  pro- 
fessors of  religion  to  the  beauty  of  this  subject.  To  them  a 
revival  of  religion  is  a  mere  increase  of  zeal,  an  increase  of 
sectarian  feeling,  of  bitterness  towards  other  sects,  an  in- 
creased fear  of  endless  damnation,  an  increased  excitement,  — 
especially  among  young  persons,  —  crying,  '  What  shall  I  do 
to  be  saved  ? '  which  means,  '  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved 
from  the  pains  of  hell  for  ever  ? '  Call  }rou  this  a  revival  of  re- 
ligion, and  an  acceptable  work  of  the  Lord?  Is  there  more 
love  in  the  times  of  these  sectarian  revivals  than  at  ordinary 
times  ?  We  all  know  there  is  not.  We  describe  a  true  re- 
vival as  a  revival  of  religion ;  but  a  false  revival  we  call  a 
revival  of  sectarianism.  Here  is  the  difference  :  the  one  aims 
at  the  good  of  man,  the  other  at  the  aggrandizement  of  sect ; 


202  MEMOIR  OF 

the  one  is  promoted  by  the  influence  of  truth,  the  other  by  false 
doctrine  ;  the  one  is  carried  on  \>y  addressing  the  reason  and 
conscience  of  men,  the  other  by  addressing  their  fears.  For 
these  reasons,  we  have  aimed  for  man}'  years  to  put  the  public 
on  their  guard  against  spurious  revivals  of  religion,  so  called. 
There  is  much  false  religion  in  the  world.  We  have  never  de- 
nied the  benefit  of  pure  religion.  We  have  prayed  and  labored 
for  its  advancement ;  and  we  will  continue  to  pray,  '  Thy  king- 
dom come,  thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  done  in  heaven.'  " 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  held  its  session  this  year 
(1850)  inMilford.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the  Occasional 
Sermon.  He  writes  of  the  session,  that  it  was  largely  attended 
b}'  the  people,  that  at  all  the  services  the  house  was  full. 
"The  conference  meeting  on  Thursday  evening  was  rich, 
spiritual,  free.  In  the  hymns,  every  one  seemed  to  sing  with 
the  spirit  and  the  understanding  also.  It  was  a  sublime 
chorus  of  praise.  Too  much  cannot  be  said  of  the  hospitality, 
politeness,  and  attention  of  the  members  of  the  Society. 
Eveiy  house  was  thrown  open,  and,  upon  every  door-post  was 
written,  '  Welcome.'  The  Society  is  enjoying  a  season  of 
high  prosperity  under  the  labors  of  our  young  and  energetic 
brother,  Henry  A.  Eaton." 

"  A  Sabbath  at  Medford,"  is  one  of  the  recollections  which 
he  notes  in  August  of  this  year.  "  While  the  Universalist 
Meeting-house  in  Medford  is  undergoing  repairs,  the  I'ni- 
tariuu  and  Universalist  congregations  worship  together  in  the 
Unitarian  house.  This  arrangement  was  brought  about  by 
the  kind  offer  of  the  Unitarian  Society.  The  clergymen  sit 
in  the  pulpit  side  by  side ;  the  Unitarian  pastor  (Rev.  John 
Pierpont)  preaches  in  the  forenoon,  and  the  Universalist  in 
the  afternoon.  They  interchange  services  in  the  devotional 
parts.  How  vividly  this  brings  to  mind  the  language  of  the 
Psalmist,  'Behold,  how  goad  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for 


THOMAS   WIHTTEMORE.  203 

brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity ' !  It  became  our  duty  to 
preach  in  Medford,  in  the  Unitarian  pulpit,  two  or  three 
weeks  ago,  on  exchange  with  Rev.  H.  Ballon  2d,  and  we  had 
for  our  coadjutor  Rev.  Mr.  Fuller,  of  Manchester,  N.H.,  who 
had  exchanged  with  Rev.  Mr.  Pierpont  on  that  day.  It  was 
not  in  our  power  to  be  present  in  the  morning,  and  we  lost, 
therefore,  the  pleasure  of  hearing  him.  He  offered  prayer  in 
the  afternoon,  and  listened  to  our  discourse.  The  audience 
was  large  and  attentive,  embracing  man}'  of  the  principal 
men  of  the  town.  We  selected  for  our  subject  the  nature  of 
false  and  true  worship ;  and  we  preached  precisely  as  we 
should  have  preached  anywhere  else.  The  people  heard  as  if 
they  loved  the  word  spoken.  It  was  the  doctrine  of  the 
Bible  that  touched  their  hearts.  Ma}'  God  bless  the  Unitarian 
parish  in  Medford,  and  their  faithful  and  devoted  pastor  ;  and 
may  they  grow  not  merely  in  numbers,  but  in  the  better  sense 
of  increase  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  And 
may  the  Universalist  church,  under  the  charge  of  that  good 
man,  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou  2d,  profit  by  the  lesson  of  liberality 
and  Christian  kindness  which  their  brethren  have  set  them." 

Of  "  The  Bible  before  all  Creeds,"  he  writes,  significantly  : 
'•  M<-n  have  great  attachment  to  their  creeds.  I  believe,  with 
the  most  of  men,  is  a  fixed  position,  from  which  it  is  very 
difficult  to  remove  them.  We  go  for  the  Bible.  This  is,  in 
our  view,  the  highest  authority  ;  above  reason,  but  not  against 
it ;  above  all  philosophies,  all  creeds,  all  fancies.  The  Bible 
is  the  sun ;  the  creeds  are  the  clocks  which  men  have  in- 
vented by  which  to  denote  the  hours  of  the  day.  The  sun  we 
know  is  sure ;  but  clocks  may  be  out  of  order,  and  may  not 
denote  the  true  time.  When  there  is  a  sensible  variation  be- 
tween the  sun  and  the  clock,  which  shall  we  follow?  Shall 
we  undertake  to  regulate  the  former  by  the  latter?  Surely 
we  ought  to  believe  the  sun  against  the  clock,  and  not  the 


204  MEMOIR   OF 

dock  against  the  sun.  So  we  ought  to  believe  the  Bible 
against  the  creeds,  and  not  set  up  the  creeds  against  the 
Bible.  Now,  God  says  in  his  word,  that  he  will  'gather 
together  all  things  in  Christ ; '  that  '  unto  Jesus  every  knee 
shall  bow,  and  that  every  tongue  shall  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.'  The  creeds 
deny  this  ;  which  shall  we  believe,  the  Bible  or  the  creeds  ?  " 

The  execution  of  Dr.  John  "W.  Webster  for  the  murder  of 
Dr.  George  Parkman,  of  Boston,  calls  forth  a  new  protest 
against  capital  punishment  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Whittemore. 
He  is  replying  to  an  article  from  the  New  York  Express,  vindi- 
cating the  gallows,  and  especially  in  reference  to  the  case  of 
Webster.  He  doubts  the  favorable  effect  of  the  gallows  in 
deterring  men  from  crime,  and  denies  that  blood  for  blood  is 
the  requirement  of  the  divine  law  as  revealed  under  the  Chris- 
tian dispensation.  Of  the  olden  utterance,  "Whoso  sheddeth 
man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed,"  he  asks,  "  Is 
this  a  command,  or  is  it  a  prophecy  of  what  should  happen 
among  men  ?  Perhaps  it  may  be  said  that  the  Jewish  law 
denounced  capital  punishment  on  offenders  ;  and,  as  that  was 
a  divine  law,  it  shows  that  capital  punishment  was  just.  So 
it  was  in  that  age  and  among  the  Jews.  But  is  the  Jewish 
law  in  force  now  ?  Are  we  under  the  law  ?  Was  not  the  law 
done  away  in  Christ?  If  we  are  under  the  law,  then  ought  we 
to  punish  disobedience  to  parents,  and  even  the  trivial  offence 
of  picking  up  chips  upon  the  Sabbath-day,  with  death.  Now, 
as  no  one  would  contend  for  this,  we  see  full  well  that  we 
cannot  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  Jewish  law.  We  say 
again,  we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  the  Gospel. 

"Does  the  Gospel  sanction  capital  punishment?  If  so, 
we  will  yield  the  point.  Does  the  Gospel,  demand  an  eye  for 
an  eye  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,  or  life  for  life?  Does  the 
voice  of  the  Gospel  say,  Hang  the  murderer?  Did  Jesus 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  205 

pray  that  his  murderers  might  be  hung?  Did  he  approve  the 
request  of  his  disciples  when  they  wished  power  to  call  down 
fire  from  heaven  to  consume  his  enemies  ?  Did  he  order  the 
Pharisees  to  stone  the  woman  taken  in  the  act  of  sin,  —  a  sin 
punished  with  death  under  the  law  of  Moses  ?  No,  Jesus  never 
uttered  a  syllable  that  would  justify  the  punishment  of  death." 

The  United  States  Convention  held  its  session  this  year  in 
Buffalo,  N.Y.  An  account  of  his  journey  thither  is  given  in 
the  Trumpet.  Between  Albany  and  Buffalo,  the  railroad 
passengers  were  detained  b3"  the  conductor,  who  affirmed  that 
they  could  go  no  further,  as  the  engine  had  given  out,  and 
that  they  must  wait  until  another  could  come  from  Buffalo  to 
take  them  on.  An  indignation  meeting  of  gentlemen  passen- 
gers was  held.  The  engineer  had  gone  to  bed,  and  refused  to 
be  seen.  The  passengers  had  no  faith  in  the  pretence  that 
an  engine  was  coming  from  Buffalo  to  relieve  them.  They 
applied  to  the  officers  of  the  Attica  &  Buffalo  Company,  and 
in  the  morning  its  president  appeared,  on  his  waj7  to  Albany. 
Finding  that  his  accommodation  train  loaded  with  passengers 
had  been  l3"ing  at  Attica  since  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  he 
set  himself  earnestly  at  work  to  relieve  them.  He  expressed  his 
exceeding  sorrow  for  the  disappointment,  and  offered  to  make 
any  satisfaction  in  his  power.  It  was  finally  agreed  that  he 
should  pay  to  each  single  passenger  three  dollars,  and  to  each 
gentleman  and  lady  five  dollars,  for  the  expense,  fatigue,  and 
disappointment  they  had  suffered.  Thus  ended  the  disagree- 
able affair. 

The  Convention  at  Buffalo  was  well  attended,  and  the  busi- 
ness and  devotional  meetings  were  of  much  interest.  Reso- 
lutions in  reference  to  the  death  of  Rev.  Stephen  R.  Smith 
were  adopt-,  d.  and  a  committee  of  three  appointed  to  tender 
in  person,  to  the  family  of  the  departed,  the  sentiments  of  the 
Convention. 


206  '  MEMOIR   OF 

During  this  Western  visit,  Mr.  Whittemore  takes  occasion 
to  visit  Niagara  again.  He  gives  a  vivid  description  of  the 
Rapids,  and  of  the  Falls  on  the  American  side,  as  seen  from 
Goat  Island.  "  The  precipice,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  is 
about  160  feet.  No  mortal  eye  ever  saw  the  bottom,  or 
mortal  hand  ever  sent  down  a  measuring-line.  Probably  the 
depth  of  water  below  the  reach  of  human  sight  is  as  much 
more.  But  call  the  depth  of  the  fall  160  feet,  for  such  it  ap- 
pears to  be.  Now  imagine  a  branch  of  a  river  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  width,  driven  along  with  unlimited  fury, 
and  precipitated  from  such  a  height ;  and  what  would  be  the 
scene  ?  How  would  the  sheet  look  as  it  rolled  over  the  shelf? 
How,  as  it  began  to  expand  and  separate  into  particles,  form- 
ing a  million  jets,  and  every  one  of  these  a  thousand  more, 
being  received  into  the  boiling  receptacle,  —  an  immense 
volume  of  foam  white  as  the  purest  snow  ?  What  would  be 
the  roar  of  this  concussion  of  water,  air,  and  rocks  ?  No  one 
can  imagine  it ;  and  you  only  stand  still  in  amazement,  fixed 
to  the  spot."  On  his  return  home,  he  delivered  an  evening 
lecture  in  the  Universalist  church  in  Buffalo. 

The  "Female  Samaritan  Society"  held  its  thirty-third 
Anniversary  on  Sunday  evening,  Oct.  27,  in  the  First  Univer- 
salist Church  in  Hanover  Street  (Rev.  S.  Streeter's).  Mr. 
Whittemore  gave  the  discourse  on  the  occasion  from  Mutt. 
xxv.  40:  "Inasmuch  as  3*6  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the 
least  of  these  my  brethren,  3-6  have  done  it  unto  me."  A 
collection  of  $120  was  taken. 

Of  John  Wesley  and  Adam  Clarke,  two  celebrated  English 
Methodist  divines  who  had  been  suspected  of  having  strong 
tendencies  to  Universalism,  he  writes  about  this  time:  "A 
writer,  at  the  foot  of  a  letter,  sends  us  one  or  two  quotations 
from  Clarke's  Commentary,  to  show  that  its  author  bi-lii-vi'd 
in  the  salvation  of  all  men.  We  are  fully  of  the  opinion  that 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  207 

Dr.  Adam  Clarke  was  not  a  Universalist.  A  Universalist  is 
one  who  believes  in  the  ultimate  holiness  and  happiness  of  all 
men.  Clarke,  it  is  well  known,  advocated  the  doctrine  of 
endless  misery.  There  is  no  proof  that  Clarke  ever  intended 
to  profess  faith  in  the  salvation  of  all  men  ;  but  on  the  con- 
trary he  has  defended  very  explicitly,  though  with  sophistical 
reasoning,  the  endless  continuance  of  sin  and  torture.  The 
truth  on  this  subject  seems  to  be  this :  Clarke,  although  a 
professed  believer  in  endless  miser}',  frequently  lays  down 
those  principles  from  which  the  doctrine  of  Universalism  un- 
avoidably flows.  The  same  was  the  case  with  John  AVesley ; 
and  in  fact  it  has  been  so  with  a  great  many  others.  But 
they  should  not  be  called  Universalists  unless  they  intention- 
ally avowed  their  faith  in  Universalism.  All  we  can  in  good 
conscience  say  of  them  is,  that  although  they  professed  to 
believe  in  endless  misery,  yet  Universalism  is  a  doctrine  so 
congenial  to  benevolence  and  good  sense,  that  they  could  not 
avoid  laying  down  the  principles  from  which  that  blessed 
doctrine  flows." 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  this  year,  that  a  Convention  of 
women  was  held  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  to  take  into  considera- 
tion the  subject  of  "  women's  rights."  It  was  a  new  move- 
ment, and,  of  course,  not  a  very  popular  one  with  the 
multitude.  To  many  wisely  thinking  persons  in  other 
respects,  both  men  and  women,  it  was  an  action  entirel}*  out 
of  place  on  the  part  of  the  "gentler  sex."  It  was  a  move- 
ment then  in  its  incipient  stages,  and  very  startling  to  many 
cautious  and  conservative  minds.  Mr.  AVhittemore  was 
among  the  number  who  saw  it  in  this  light,  and  could  not 
resist  the  inclination  to  give  the  Worcester  Convention  a 
notice  expressive  of  strong  dislike  as  to  its  intentions.  He 
says  of  the  meeting :  "We  scarcely  know  who  was  present. 
Some  distinguished  female  talkers  were  there,  whose  husbands 


208  MEMOIR    OF 

at  home  must  have  had  a  time  of  heavenly  stillness  during 
their  absence.  This  is  the  only  good,  so  far  as  we  can  see, 
that  will  ever  grow  out  of  the  Convention.  Judge  not  the 
women  of  Massachusetts  by  this  motley  assembly.  The 
women  of  Worcester  had  a  right  to  assemble,  for  aught  we 
know,  and  had  also  a  right  to  express  their  opinions  as  to 
any  burdens  under  which  they  labored ;  but  they  had  no 
right  to  speak  in  behalf  of  all  female  humanity.  There  are 
thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  good,  honest,  sober- 
minded  women  in  Massachusetts  who  will  not  thank  their 
sisters  who  assembled  at  Worcester  for  presuming  to  speak 
in  their  behalf."  He  copies  a  well-written  article  from  the 
Christian  Inquirer  (Unitarian)  on  the  same  subject,  and  tak- 
ing similar  views  to  those  expressed  by  himself. 

How  far  his  opinions  on  this  question  of  Woman's  position 
and  work  might  have  been  modified  by  tune  and  observation, 
we  are,  of  course,  unable  to  say.  We  have  a  right  to  con- 
clude, however,  that  he  would  have  weighed  the  arguments 
offered  by  the  new  reformers  with  his  usual  force  of  discrimi- 
nation, and  perhaps  have  seen  reason  to  modify  or  change 
some  of  his  prejudices  against  the  movement  as  a  whole. 
We  remember  that  in  subsequent  years  he  manifested  a  deep 
interest  in  the  public  advocacy  of  the  Gospel  by  women,  and 
was  most  pleasurably  exercised  while  attending  the  ministries 
of  one  of  them  (Mrs.  Jenkins) ,  whose  addresses  in  our  pul- 
pits and  churches  in  New  England  were  at  the  time  so  very 
acceptable. 

The  Trumpet  of  Nov.  30,  contains  a  notice  of  the  death  of 
Uev.  Men/ies  Kayner  in  New  York  city.  He  has  been 
mentioned  before  in  this  biography.  He  came  from  the  Epis- 
copal into  the  Vniversalist  Church,  and  had  been  pastor  in 
Hartford,  Ct.,  Portland,  Me.,  and  Troy,  N.Y.  He  lived 
during  the  last  of  his  life  with  his  children  in  N.Y.  ;  but  con- 


THOMAS    WH1TTEUORE.  209 

tinned  to  preach  as  his  services  were  called  for  until  a  little 
time  before  his  decease  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine.  Mr. 
Whitternore  writes  of  him  :  "  For  his  age  he  was  a  man  of 
vigor.  He  would  walk  into  the  country,  five,  six,  eight,  or 
ten  miles,  upon  a  Sabbath  morning,  perform  the  duties  of  the 
day  and  walk  back  again  at  night.  To  the  last  he  was  an 
open,  consistent,  candid  Universalist.  While  strength  lasted, 
lu-  was  ever  ready  to  preach  the  word.  He  was  a  Chris- 
tian,—  no  rationalist,  no  half-believer.  He  was  a  man  of 
acute  logical  powers,  —  keen,  sagacious,  remarkably  apt  and 
pungent.  His  society  was  prized  by  all  his  friends,  for  the 
sound  judgment  he  had  in  Scriptural  matters,  and  for  the 
fund  of  knowledge  and  entertainment  he  possessed." 

Mr.  Whittemore  notes  the  statements  of  Professor  Stuart 
of  Audover,  in  the  Biblical  Repository,  respecting  the  many 
doubters  of  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment  to  be  found 
outside  the  Universalist  fraternity,  and  even  in  orthodox 
churches.  "There  are,"  says  the  Professor,  "minds  of  a 
very  serious  cast,  and  prone  to  reasoning  and  inquiry,  that 
have  in  some  way  come  into  such  a  state,  that  doubt  on  the 
subject  of  endless  punishment  cannot,  without  the  greatest 
difficulty,  be  removed  from  them.  Can  heaven  itself  be  a 
place  of  happiness  for  them,  while  they  are  conscious  that  a 
husband  or  a  wife,  a  son  or  a  daughter,  a  brother  or  a  sister, 
is  plunged  into  a  lake  of  fire  from  which  there  is  no  escape  ? 
"With  the  great  mass  of  thinking  Christians,  I  am  sure  such 
thoughts  as  these  must,  unhappily  for  them,  be  acquaintances 
too  familiar.  That  they  agitate  our  breasts  as  storms  do  the 
might}'  deep  will  be  testified  by  ever}'  man  of  a  tender  heart, 
and  who  has  a  deep  concern  in  the  present  and  future  welfare 
of  those  whom  he  loves.  It  would  seem  to  be  from  such 
considerations,  and  others  like  these,  that  a  belief  in  the 
future  repentance  and  recovery  of  sinners  has  become  so  wide- 

14 


210  MEMOIR    OF 

spread  in  Germany,  pervading  even  the  ranks  of  those  who 
are  regarded  as  serious  and  evangelical  men  in  respect  to 
most  or  all  of  what  is  called  orthodox  doctrine,  saving  the 
point  before  us.  Such  was  the  case  also  with  some  of  the 
ancient  fathers ;  and  such  is  doubtless  the  case  with  not  a 
few  of  our  day." 

Mr.  Whittemore  says:  "It  should  be  remembered,  in 
regard  to  this  extract,  that  it  is  an  apolog}*  for  those  Univer- 
salists  who  do  not  avow  their  faith ;  whose  breasts,  like  the 
Professor's,  are  agitated  by  the  doctrine  of  endless  torture,  as 
storms  -agitate  the  mighty  deep,  but  who  keep  their  sus- 
picions as  to  the  falsity  of  this  doctrine  to  themselves.  There 
are  thousands  of  such  persons  connected  with  orthodox  con- 
gregations ! " 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  211 


CHAPTER     XL 

1851-1852. 
AGED     51-52. 

Sickness  —  Spirit  Rappings  —  The  name  Universalist  —  Services  at  Mil- 
ford,  Mass.  —  The  Papal  Church  —  Anniversary  Week —  Festival  — 
Editorial  Chair  —  Rev.  D.  Thorn  of  Liverpool  —  U.S.  Convention  in 
Boston  —  A  Preacher  for  England — What  is  New-England  Theology? 

—  A  Journey  —  Layman's  Letter  —  College  Trustees'  Meeting  —  Rev. 
O.  Dewey's  Lecture  —  Death  of  Rev.  W.  Balfour  —  The  new  College 

—  Mrs.    Soule's  Letter — Visit  to  Washington  and   other  Places  — 
Memoir  of   Rev.  W.  Balfour  —  Lawrence,  Mass. — Proposal  to  Dr. 
Edward  Beecher  —  Anniversary  Week  —  Festival  Speeches  —  Massa- 
chusetts Conventional  Plymouth  —  Illness  of  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou  — 
His  Death  —  Criticism  on  Rev.  Walter  Colton. 

A  SEVERE  attack  of  e^-sipelas  kept  Mr.  TVhittemore  for  a 
few  weeks  confined  to  his  house.  The  supervision  of  the 
Trumpet  devolved  upon  good  and  read}*  helpers.  Medical 
skill  and  watchful  home  care  soon  enabled  him  to  resume  his 
work  ;  on  doing  which,  he  says  to  the  readers  of  his  paper : 
'•  I  am  permitted  once  more  to  take  my  pen  to  address  you. 
I  have  been  brought  low  b}"  sickness,  —  a  sickness  the  most 
severe  of  airy  that  I  have  yet  known.  My  mind  is  still  weak, 
although  I  am  improving,  and  I  write  with  an  unstead}*  hand. 
The  last  four  weeks  have  been  strange  weeks  to  me.  Much 
of  the  time  I  have  lain  in  a  stupor,  and  when  roused  my  mind 
was  filled  with  the  strangest  conceits.  Mj*  face  swelled  to  a 
frightful  size  and  was  hideous  to  behold.  I  have  gained 
strength  very  slowly,  and  feel  very  anxious  to  return  to  my 


212  MEMOIR   OF 

duties.  I  trust  soon  to  come  to  you  again  in  the  columns  of 
the  Trumpet  '  in  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.' " 

Of  his  experience  in  sickness,  he  says:  "In  our  lucid 
moments,  during  our  late  confinement,  we  had  abundant  op- 
portunity to  reflect  upon  the  nature  and  tendency  of  the  doc- 
trine we  had  preached.  It  appeared  to  the  soul  a  glorious 
doctrine.  Nothing  can  be  so  rich  in  sickness  and  death  as  a 
strong  faith  in  Universalism.  The  fact  which  predominated 
in  our  mind  was,  that  it  is  God's  word.  We  could  rejoice 
that  we  had  defended  this  doctrine.  It  seemed  to  us  at  one 
time  that  an  angel  spoke  to  us,  and  said,  '  You  have  done 
well,  —  as  much  as  one  could  do  in  the  same  length  of  time  ; 
you  have  preached  much,  written  much  in  favor  of  the  truth  ; 
well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant.'  This  was  one  of  the 
happy  illusions  that  came  over  the  mind  while  it  was  weak- 
ened by  disease.  Now  that  we  are  getting  strong  again,  we 
shall  return  to  our  work.  We  have  no  new  doctrine  to  pro- 
pose. Our  faith  in  Universalism  is  as  strong  as  ever.  We 
say  with  great  fulness  of  feeling,  '  Give  us  Universalisni  in 
health  ;  Universalism  in  sickness  ;  Universalism  in  life  ;  and 
Universalism  in  death.' " 

His  mind  is  exercised  of  course  in  reference  to  the  "  Spirit 
Rappings  "  now  rife  in  the  land.  Facetiously  and  soberly  he 
writes :  "It  is  needless  for  us  to  say  that  we  have  no  faith  in 
this  thing.  The  reason  is,  we  have  never  heard  the  rappings. 
Either  there  are  no  spirits  where  we  are  accustomed  to  be,  or 
else  they  do  not  rap.  It  may  be  asked,  why  do  you  not  go 
and  see  the  young  ladies  to  whom  or  by  whom  the  spirits 
rap?  For  two  reasons  :  1.  We  object  to  running  after  spirits  ; 
and  2.  We  object  to  running  after  the  young  ladies.  The 
spirits  can  come  to  us  much  easier  than  we  can  go  to  them. 
If  they  are  really  spirits,  they  can  pass  a  distance  of  a  thou- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  213 

sand  miles  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  If  we  should  set  out 
to  go  after  them,  and  they  should  seek  to  keep  away  from  us, 
we  could  not  catch  them.  We  shall  not  attempt,  therefore, 
to  run  after  the  spirits.  But,  if  they  will  come  where  we  are, 
we  shall  be  very  happy  to  see  their  antics  and  hear  their  rap- 
pings  ;  and  they  shall  be  accommodated  in  the  best  room  in 
our  house,  if  they  will  not  break  the  furniture. 

"As  to  the  young  women,  there  is  something  suspicious. 
Cannot  the  spirits  communicate  without  the  aid  of  young 
women?  Would  not  young  men  do  as  well?  or  old  men? 
Cannot  the  spirits  communicate  directly  with  the  inquirer, 
without  the  intervention  of  a  mediator?  We  do  not  under- 
stand these  things.  We  strongly  suspect  there  is  humbug 
somewhere.  We  may  not  be  able  to  point  it  out ;  but  if 
every  thing  is  honest  what  is  the  need  of  a  third  person  in  the 
case?  If  we  were  going  to  consult  the  spirits,  we  should 
request  the  young  ladies  to  retire ;  and  we  would  attempt 
ourself  to  call  the  '  spirits  from  the  vasty  deep.'  If  they 
would  not  come,  we  would  tell  them  that  we  had  a  poor  opin- 
ion of  them. 

"Where  have  these  spirits  been  until  now?  Horace 
Greeley  told  us  that  the  world  had  not  been  sufficiently  en- 
lightened for  the  spirits  to  visit  it  until  recently.  Enlight- 
ened !  The  darker  the  world,  the  more  need  of  light  from 
the  spirits.  They  would  let  their  light  shine  in  a  dark  place, 
if  they  were  from  heaven.  We  ask  for  an  interview  with  the 
spirits  without  the  aid  of  the  young  women." 

"The  name  Universalist "  is  a  topic  to  which  he  directs 
special  attention. 

"  Some  think  the  name  Universalist  an  improper  one.  We 
think  otherwise.  We  know  of  no  one  that  will  better  express 
the  greatness  and  goodness  of  our  sentiments.  Universalists 
are  not  Partialists :  Universalism  is  not  Partialism.  Any 


214  MEMOIR   OF 

system  which  confines  salvation  to  a  part  of  mankind,  or 
which  teaches  that  a  part  of  mankind  only  will  be  saved 
(from  whatever  cause  their  want  of  salvation  may  arise)  is 
7>flr/-ialism.  The  name  is  proper ;  and  is  no  disgrace,  unless 
the  doctrine  itself  which  is  described  by  it  is  a  disgrace.  On 
the  contrar}',  the  doctrine  which  teaches  the  salvation  of  the 
whole  world,  —  of  all  men,  —  of  the  universe  of  human  beings, 
is  Univcrsalism.  It  is  a  glorious  idea  ;  '  God  in  Christ,  rec- 
onciling the  world  unto  himself.'  God-like !  Christ-like ! 
heavenly !  angelic !  The  will  of  God,  the  death  of  Christ, 
the  joy  of  heaven,  the  hopes  of  angels,  are  all  in  favor  of 
Universalism." 

On  the  first  of  Ma}*  of  this  j^ear  (1851),  there  were  services 
of  great  interest  to  the  Universalists  of  Milford,  Mass.  The 
new  church  edifice  was  dedicated  ;  the  venerable  Father  Bal- 
lou,  just  passed  his  eightieth  year,  preaching  the  sermon 
with  apparently  the  vigor  of  youth.  The  new  pastor,  Rev. 
Henry  A.  Eaton,  was  installed,  the  sermon  by  Mr.  Whitte- 
more,  from  2  Cor.  iv.  1 :  "  Therefore,  seeing  we  have  this 
ministiy,  as  we  have  received  mercy  we  faint  not."  In  the 
evening,  a  church  of  Christian  believers  just  formed  was  pub- 
licly recognized ;  sermon  by  Rev.  O.  A.  Skinner.  The  Fel- 
lowship of  Churches  was  given  b}~  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams. 

He  takes  occasion  just  now  to  speak  of  Catholicism,  in 
noticing  an  article  in  another  Universalist  journal,  deprecat- 
ing the  indiscriminate  abuse  which  Catholics  seem  to  be  re- 
ceiving from  most  Protestant  sects.  "  Universalists,"  says 
this  journal,  "  whose  motives  for  supporting  their  religion 
are  so  often  impugned,  should  learn  to  look  with  charity  upon 
the  motives  which  attach  others  to  their  peculiar  views."  3Ir. 
AVhittcinoiv  writes :  "Catholics  are  entitled  to  all  the  privi- 
leges enjoyed  1>\  other  sects,  and  no  more.  Catholicism  is 
one  form  of  Partialism,  and  is  rapidly  increasing  in  this 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  215 

country,  not  by  making  new  prosetytes,  but  by  the  immi- 
gration of  foreigners.  So  far  as  Catholicism  is  an  error,  it 
should  be  exposed,  like  all  other  errors.  We  have  resolved 
to  oppose  all  error,  wherever  found,  without  respect  of  per- 
sons. Catholics  should  not  be  attacked  in  a  bad  spirit,  any 
more  than  any  other  sect.  A  bad  spirit  is  the  worst  religion 
a  man  can  have.  If  we  cannot  oppose  error  in  a  good  spirit, 
we  had  better  not  oppose  it  at  all. 

"  We  confess  that  we  are  afraid  of  the  Catholic  or  (as 
we  prefer  to  sa}r) ,  the  Papal  religion.  We  are  afraid  of  the 
order  of  Jesuits,  who  are  insinuating  themselves  into  every 
part  of  the  country.  Nursed  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes  of 
the  Inquisition  ;  believing  that  it  is  right  to  lie,  defraud,  and 
even  to  commit  murder,  for  the  support  of  the  Papal  religion, 
—  sworn  to  be  enemies  to  all  who  are  not  friends  to  the 
Catholic  church,  —  we  deprecate  their  increase  in  this  country. 
Their  spirit  is  most  intolerant.  The  past  and  present  are 
full  of  evidences  of  this  statement.  But  we  see  little  to  choose 
between  Papal  Partialism  and  Protestant  Partialism.  Protes- 
tants, however,  have  not  been  nursed  in  the  lap  of  the  In- 
quisition ;  they  have  no  Jesuits,  no  Dominicans,  no  trained 
bands  for  secret  service,  ready  to  peril  character  and  life  for 
the  cause  they  have  espoused.  We  have  no  doubt  that  there 
are  Catholics  of  an  excellent  spirit  among  us ;  but  this  fact 
does  not  alter  the  general  character  of  the  Papal  religion. 
We  repeat,  that  we  lament  its  increase  among  us." 

Anniversary  Week  brings  the  Reform  Association  together 
again.  The  business  meeting  was  held  in  the  Warren  Street 
church,  Rev.  O.  A.  Skinner,  pastor.  The  Secretary,  Rev. 
H.  Bacon,  presented  an  admirable  Report.  It  alludes  to  the 
efforts  of  woman  to  exalt  her  sisterhood,  and  to  the  contempt- 
uous sneers  with  which  the  movement  has  been  met ;  gives 
valuable  information  and  statistics  in  regard  to  capital  pun- 


216  MEMOIR    OF 

ishment  and  the  Temperance  Reform,  on  the  vice  of  gambling, 
and  on  the  substitution  of  arbitration  as  a  substitute  for  a 
resort  to  war.  "The  monster  evil,  American  Slaver}-,"  is 
handled  with  vigor,  and  dealt  with  justly.  The  Secretary's 
definition  of  conscience,  as  given  by  Daniel  Webster  in  his 
own  words,  and  in  such  glaring  contrast  to  his  advice  to 
Northerners  to  obey  and  execute  the  Fugitive-slave  law.  is 
simply  withering. 

The  Festival  was  held  in  Central  Hall,  Milk  Street.  Hon. 
Israel  Washburn,  Jr.,  of  Maine,  presided,  who  made  a  stirring 
opening  address.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  John  Moore,  of 
New  Hampshire  ;  Rev.  T.  Starr  King,  in  one  of  his  happiest 
efforts ;  Rev.  H.  Bacon,  Rev.  A.  D.  Mayo,  Rev.  Eli  Ballou, 
of  Vermont;  P.  H.  Sweetser,  Esq.,  Rev.  Mr.  Gay  lord.  V\~. 
H.  Richardson,  Jr.,  Rev.  J.  W.  Hanson,  and  others.  Mr. 
Whittemore  writes  of  the  occasion  :  ' '  Very  unexpectedly  to 
ourself,  we  were  called  away  on  the  previous  day,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  us  to  be  present.  It  was  the  first  annual  din- 
ner we  have  not  attended  since  the  festivities  commenced. 
It  was  a  great  privation  to  lose  not  the  eatables  (for  those 
we  can  get  anywhere) ,  but  '  the  feast  of  reason  and  flow  of 
soul.'  The  occasion  is  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  most  spark- 
ling and  exhilarating  the  Association  has  ever  enjoyed." 

The  present  of  a  new  "  Editorial  Chair"  from  the  Ameri- 
can Chair  Company,  Troy,  N.Y.,  is  the  occasion  of  a  note  of 
admiration  in  view  of  its  convenience  and  perfectness.  "  It  is 
an  admirable  piece  of  workmanship.  The  frame  is  of  iron, 
finely  wrought,  presenting  a  light  and  beautiful  appearance, 
and  rolling  on  substantial  brass  castors.  The  seat  and  back 
are  stuffed  with  the  best  of  hair,  and  covered  with  purple 
plush  ;  they  rest  on  eight  cast-steel  semicircular  springs,  and 
so  revolve  on  a  pivot  that  the  person  seated  in  it  seems 
almost  suspended  in  mid-air,  in  a  delightful  position,  and  can 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  217 

whirl  about  in  readiness  to  face  either  friend  or  foe,  from 
whatever  quarter  he  may  come,  with  an  extended  hand  and  a 
benevolent  heart  for  either." 

In  the  Universalist  for  July,  1851  (an  English  publication), 
Rev.  D.  Thorn  of  Liverpool,  a  believer  and  preacher  of  the 
doctrine  of  Universal  Salvation,  takes  occasion  to  state  his 
opposition  to  some  of  the  opinions  of  American  Universalists, 
and  express  his  regret  that  these  opinions  are  getting  such 
hold  upon  the  pubh'c  mind  in  this  country.  In  reply  to  his 
statements,  Mr.  Whittemore  writes  :  *'  We  do  not  think  Dr. 
Thorn  has  described  correctly  the  Universalism  of  America : 
he  certainty  has  not  described  Universalism  as  we  hold  it. 
He  says,  '  Human  free  will,  conditional  salvation,  and  a 
mere  moral  change  of  sentiments  and  conduct,  substituted 
for  God's  sovereignty,  the  finished  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
the  new  creation  of  the  conscience  by  divine  truth  and  love, 
are  now  the  idols  of  American  Universalists.'  Suffice  it  to 
say  that  this  is  not  Universalism  as  we  hold  it.  But  if  the 
Universalism  of  the  United  States  were  to  be  correctly 
described,  Dr.  Thorn  does  not  hold  it.  He  is  a  Trinitarian  ; 
and  the  great  body  of  American  Universalists  are  not  Trini- 
tarians. He  is  a  believer  in  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  the 
atonement,  and  we  are  believers  in  the  Scriptural  doctrine  of 
the  atonement.  That  is  the  difference  in  reality.  We  lament 
that  Universalism  has  never  been  presented  in  England  in  its 
true  form.  The  Relleyans  have  gone  down.  Men  of  sound 
sense,  who  understood  the  Scriptures,  cannot  be  made  to 
receive  that  system.  It  lived  for  a  time,  and  then  died  out. 
The  Universalism  of  Winchester  and  Vidler  and  Richard 
Wright  has  been  swallowed  up  in  Unitariauism.  Universal- 
ism,  as  it  exists  in  the  United  States,  has  never  been  known 
in  Britain.  .  Mr.  Thorn's  form  of  Universalism  never  will 
prevail.  It  has  as  yet  shown  not  the  slightest  signs  of  prog- 


218  MEMOIR    OF 

ress.  But  in  our  judgment,  if  the  opinions  of  the  American 
Universalists  were  to  be  preached  in  Great  Britain  by  preach- 
ers of  the  right  talent,  it  would  find  a  ready  access  to  many 
hearts." 

The  United  States  Convention  again  held  its  annual  ses- 
sion in  Boston.  There  was  a  full  attendance.  It  was  a  time 
of  much  excitement  in  and  around  the  city  on  account  of  the 
Railroad  Jubilee,  or  grand  fete  which  the  city  gave  to  the 
people  and  rulers  of  Canada,  on  the  event  of  the  connection 
of  Boston  Harbor  with  Quebec  and  Montreal  by  means  of 
railroads.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  different  churches  of 
the  city.  The  Occasional  Discourse  was  delivered  by  Rev. 
Eli  Ballou,  of  Vermont.  Stirring  conferences  were  held,  and 
a  meeting  of  much  interest  in  reference  to  the  proposed  liter- 
ary institution  preceded  the  other  meetings,  on  Tuesday  after- 
noon. Father  Ballou  preached  at  the  First  Church,  in 
Hanover  Street,  on  Thursday  P.M.  The  communion  service 
followed.  There  were  two  hundred  and  twenty  ministers 
present. 

There  is  a  desire  at  this  time,  which  finds  expression  in  the 
Trumpet,  that  a  preacher  be  sent  out  from  America  to  England 
to  proclaim  the  Gospel  of  "  glad  tidings."  One  thousand  dol- 
lars are  offered  by  one  person  for  this  purpose,  and  contribu- 
tions from  others  are  solicited.  Rev.  A.  C.  Thomas  seems  to 
be  the  person  unanimously  designated  to  go  on  this  mission. 
Mr.  Whittemore  is  warmly  in  favor  of  it.  Arrangements 
were  subsequently  made  which  resulted  in  the  proposed  mis- 
sion on  the  part  of  Mr.  Thomas. 

"  What  is  New  England  Theology  ?  "  is  a  question  asked 
by  the  Congregationalist  of  Oct.  31.  A  grave  question.  Mr. 
AVhittemore  thinks,  and  one  which  it  would  puzzle  the  ques- 
tioner to  answer.  "Orthodoxy  has  rh;mi;v<l  so  much  that 
scarce  any  two  agree  what  it  is.  The  Old  School  say  it  is 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  219 

one  thing,  and  the  New  School  say  it  is  another.  It  seems, 
however,  that  there  is  this  agreement  among  them,  that  they 
have  'a  common  standard  of  judgment.'"  "But  what  is 
this?"  asks  Mr.  Whittemore ;  "the  Bible?  oh  no!  The 
Bible  forms  no  part  of  New  England  Orthodoxy.  It  is  con- 
ceded by  all,  says  the  Congregationalist,  that  the  writings  of 
Edwards  exhibit  the  true  type  of  New  England  theology. 
The  writings  of  Edwards ;  not  the  writings  of  prophets  and 
apostles. 

"  But  we  declare,  on  our  part,  that  the  Orthodox  party  in 
New  England  do  not  follow  Edwards,  how  much  soever  they 
may  profess  to  do  so.  They  dare  not  preach  and  write  as 
Edwards  did.  The  Congregationalist  itself  dare  not  publish, 
as  its  own  sentiments,  certain  extracts  which  we  can  send  its 
editors  from  Edwards  on  the  subject  of  endless  torture. 
Will  they  do  it?  Let  Dr.  Beecher,  or  Dr.  Storrs,  or  Mr. 
Dexter,  or  Mr.  Clarke,  signif}-  a  willingness  to  publish  what 
we  shall  send  him  from  Edwards  on  the  subject  of  endless 
torture,  adopting  the  sentiment  as  his  own,  and  extracts 
shall  be  forthcoming  which  will  make  their  flesh  shrink  upon 
their  bones.  They  undertake  to  say  that  Edwards  is  the  true 
type  of  their  theology  !  The  idea  is  ridiculous  !  " 

He  is  called  to  make  a  journey  —  partly  ministerial  and 
parti}'  secular,  as  we  judge  from  the  record  —  to  Troy,  N.Y. 
He  notes,  among  other  things,  the  swiftness  of  the  travelling, 
considering  the  places  he  visited  and  the  distances  between 
them.  He  left  Boston  on  Saturday,  Nov.  8,  at  8  A.M.  ;  ar- 
rived at  Springfield  — 100  miles  —  at  11;  had  an  hour  and 
a  half  for  consultation  with  the  President  and  Superintendent 
of  the  Connecticut  River  Railroad  ;  was  in  Albany  at  5^,  and 
in  Troy  at  6  P.M.,  — 206  miles  from  Boston.  On  Sunday,  he 
preached  twice  in  the  Universalist  church  in  Troy  (Rev.  J.  C. 
Waldo,  pastor) ,  on  the  occasion  of  the  reopening  of  the  church 


220  MEMOIR    OF 

after  extensive  repairs.  On  Monday  morning,  he  started  for 
Saratoga  Springs  ;  "  passing  over  almost  the  very  ground  at 
Stillwater  where  the  armies  of  Gates  and  Burgo)-ne  had  their 
fierce  struggle  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  also  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  place  at  Saratoga  where  the  British  army 
capitulated.  Leaving  this  point,"  he  writes  :  "  We  passed  on 
through  the  villages  of  Fort  Edward  and  Fort  Ann  (both 
celebrated  in  the  earl)7  wars  of  the  country) ,  to  Whitehall,  at 
the  southernmost  part  of  Lake  Champlain.  This  is  the  first 
time  we  had  ever  seen  the  waters  of  that  lake.  But  we  had  no 
time  to  tarry,  and  immediately  took  a  new  train,  and  started  for 
Castleton,Vt.,  and  thence  to  Rutland,  where  we  arrived  at  about 
eleven  o'clock.  Thence  we  passed  through  Clarendon,  over  the 
summit  at  Mount  Holly,  and  down  through  Ludlow,  Proctors- 
ville,  and  other  places,  to  Chester,  where  we  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  be  obliged  to  sit  in  the  cars  two  hours  and  a  hah", 
waiting  for  the  up-train,  which  had  been  detained  by  an  acci- 
dent on  one  of  the  freight  trains.  The  road  clear,  we  rushed 
on  again  for  Bellows  Falls,  with  a  speed  that  was  designed  to 
redeem  as  far  as  possible  the  lost  time.  At  six  o'clock,  we 
were  in  Keene,  N.H,  and  at  seven,  in  Fitchburg,  Mass.  We 
passed  up  on  Tuesday  to  Athol,  and  thence  returned  to  Boston 
in  the  afternoon.  If  this  were  not  riding  enough  for  three 
days,  let  those  who  think  so  get  astride  a  streak  of  lightning, 
for  that  is  the  only  way  in  which  the)-  will  be  able  to  beat  it." 
An  aged  layman  of  Middlefield,  Mass.,  writes  him  :  "  I  have 
always  received  your  paper  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure,  and 
of  late  with  a  thankful  heart.  I  have  received  more  informa- 
tion and  real  knowledge  from  reading  the  Trumpet  since  I 
began  to  take  it,  than  from  all  the  preaching  I  have  ever 
heard,  and  I  am  now  in  my  seventy-second  year.  Being 
blind,  I  have  been  led  by  the  blind,  whether  my  leaders  have 
been  in  the  ditch  or  not.  One  thing  I  know,  that  I  have 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  221 

been  there  ;  but  you,  my  dear  sir,  have  helped  me  out.  Your 
paper  has  been  refreshing  to  me  ;  and,  as  I  have  received  it 
weekly,  I  have  not  suffered  much  with  drought.  The  college, 
the  missionary  enterprise,  and  the  tract  movement,  will  be  as 
great  helps  to  our  blessed  cause  as  any  thing  that  has  yet 
been  done.  God  grant  his  blessing  on  all  that  may  be  done 
for  the  advancement  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  Mr. 
Whittemore  remarks:  "There,  we  would  sooner  have  the 
gratitude  of  this  old  man,  for  the  benefit  we  have  conferred 
upon  him,  and  the  happiness  we  have  poured  into  his  soul, 
than  all  the  praise  that  the  enemies  of  God's  truth  could  con- 
fer upon  us." 

The  trustees  of  the  new  college  held  a  meeting  in  Boston, 
in  November  of  this  year,  and  were  greath"  encouraged  by  the 
prospects  of  the  institution.  They  found  that  the  plan  of 
subscription  was  legally  drawn,  that  rising  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  were  subscribed,  as  stated  by  the  executive  com- 
mittee at  the  meeting  in  September,  and  that  the  terms  of  the 
subscription  had  been  fully  complied  with ;  so  that  every 
subscription  is  legal.  The  treasurer  was  required  to  give 
bonds  satisfactory  to  Messrs.  Oliver  Dean,  Sj'lvanus  Packard, 
and  O.  A.  Skinner.  "  It  is  probable,"  says  Mr.  Whittemore, 
"that  the  location  will  be  selected  by  the  first  of  January 
next.  All  hearts  are  cheered  !  " 

During  this  autumn,  a  course  of  lectures  on  "  the  Problem 
of  Human  Destiny"  was  given  at  the  Lowell  Institute  in 
Boston,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Dewey,  of  New  York.  Mr.  Whittemore 
thus  writes  of  them :  "  The  breathless  attention  of  the  great 
audience  which  has  listened  to  the  beautiful  passages  and  the 
refined  eloquence  of  the  speaker,  is  creditable  to  the  cultiva- 
tion and  taste  of  the  citizens  of  Boston.  The  theologian,  the 
moral  philosopher,  the  student  of  the  history  and  nature  of 
man.  have  here  found  some  ingenious  solutions  of  intricate 


222  MEMOIR    OF 

and  abstruse  questions,   and  many  suggestions  which  may 
assist  to  '  vindicate  the  ways  of  God  to  man.' 

"  Nevertheless,  we  confess  to  some  degree  of  disappoint- 
ment in  these  lectures.  Their  title  led  us  to  expect  something 
which  has  not  been  accomplished,  nor  attempted.  A  philoso- 
phy which  would  lead  the  fainting  soul  to  the  grave,  and  there 
leave  it  to  grope  its  way  through  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  is  incapable  of  solving  '  the  problem  of  human 
destiny.'  He  who  would  solve  this  problem,  who  would  ex- 
hibit to  us  the  design,  the  plan,  the  purpose  of  heaven  in  the 
creation,  must  look  far  beyond  the  narrow  boundaries  of  the 
grave  :  he  must  tell  us  whether  we  are  the  heirs  of  the  prom- 
ises of  God,  and  whether  these  promises  rest  upon  the  im- 
mutability of  his  counsel.  Nothing  less  than  this  will  satisfy 
the  cravings  of  those  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  \a\  hold  upon 
the  hope  set  before  us.  The  soul  wants  '  an  anchor  sure  and 
steadfast.'  Give  us  but  this,  and  philosophers  may  speculate 
as  they  please  ;  and  if  some  of  the  ways  of  Providence  wear 
a  frown,  and  present  mysteries  we  cannot  penetrate,  we  will 
rest  on  our  assurance  that  all  will  be  well  at  last." 

The  Trumpet  of  Jan.  10,  1852,  records  the  death  of  Eev. 
Walter  Balfour  of  Charlestown,  Mass.,  of  whose  conversion 
and  entrance  upon  the  ministry  of  Universalism  the  readers 
of  this  memoir  have  already  been  informed.  His  age  was 
seventy-six.  He  was  one  of  the  most  sincere  and  faithful  of 
Christians.  His  funeral  was  private.  On  the  Sunday  succeed- 
ing it,  Mr.  Whittemore  officiated  in  the  Universalist  church 
there,  and  delivered  a  discourse  on  the  life  and  character  of 
the  beloved  and  respected  man.  A  large  congregation  was  in 
attendance.  In  the  same  number  of  the  Trumpet,  the  death 
of  Professor  Stuart  of  Andover  is  recorded.  The  agency 
which  the  Professor  had  in  the  conversion  of  Mr.  Balfour  to 
Universalisrn,  made  notable  to  many  the  nearness  of  the  time 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  223 

of  their  departure  from  this  life.  Mr.  AYhittemore  announces 
at  this  time  his  intention  to  issue  a  memoir  of  Mr.  Balfour. 

The  site  of  the  new  College  is  announced  in  the  Trumpet 
of  Jan.  17.  "  It  is  at  length  determined,  we  understand,  to 
locate  this  institution  on  Walnut  Hill,  so  called,  in  Somerville, 
though  the  line  of  the  town  passes  across  the  hill  in  such  a 
way  that  the  building  probably  will  be  erected  in  Medford. 
The  trustees  had  so  far  determined  the  matter  that  the  insti- 
tution should  go  either  to  the  place  chosen  or  to  Franklin, 
Mass.  It  was  a  nice  point  to  decide.  Now  that  we  learn 
the  vine  is  to  be  planted,  and  where,  let  it  be  nurtured,  let  it 
be  watered  freely,  that  it  may  grow  and  shed  its  blessings 
all  around." 

Mr.  Whittemore  about  this  tune  notices,  with  much  tender- 
ness and  fervor  of  feeling,  a  letter  of  Mrs.  Caroline  A.  Soule, 
widow  of  Rev.  H.  B.  Soule,  who  suddenly  departed  this  life 
at  Rome,  X.Y.,  not  long  previous.  The  letter  was  written  to 
Rev.  J.  M.  Austin,  editor  of  the  Christian  Ambassador.  It 
was  a  soul-stirring  affirmation  of  living  faith  in  the  great 
Gospel  of  the  Reconciliation.  "A  religion,"  she  writes, 
••  that  could  come  to  me  as  ours  has  come,  in  this,  the  sudden 
and  awful  dispensation  of  my  Father,  I  know  will  never  fail 
to  strengthen  and  comfort  me.  Death  !  it  seems  now  that  it 
were  but  a  little  thing  to  die  ;  for  God  and  heaven  are  at 
death's  portals.  M}-  brother,  preach  Universah'sm  ;  write  it, 
live  it,  feel  it,  — never  faltering,  never  failing.  It  has  changed 
my  tears  into  smiles,  my  bitterness  into  joy  ;  and  what  it  has 
done  and  is  doing  for  me,  it  will  do  for  thee,  for  thine,  for  all. 
Strengthened,  comforted,  assured  by  that,  I  can  take  up  my 
cross.  — and  oh,  it  is  no  light  one,  I  assure  you  !  Five  little 
ones  —  the  youngest  but  a  babe  in  my  arms,  the  oldest  hav- 
ing seen  but  seven  summers  —  look  up  to  me  as  their  all 
on  earth.  M}*  road  will  be  a  rugged  one,  I  know,  let  sympathy 


224  MEMOIR  OF 

and  friendship  smooth  it  as  they  will.  But  I  do  not  faint  nor 
fear." 

Mr.  Whittemore's  heart  responds  to  her  appeal.  "  Let  pro- 
fessed preachers  of  Universalism  take  note  !  Hear  this  voice 
of  the  widow.  We  will  preach  this  Gospel.  It  is  that  of  the 
living  God,  the  God  of  all  consolation.  Better  than  all  mere 
human  creeds  or  philosophies,  is  Universalism.  A  doctrine 
that  can  so  comfort  the  soul  in  the  season  of  the  darkest  ad- 
versity, so  lift  the  soul  heavenward,  must  be  of  God.  We  say 
to  the  widow,  and  we  say  to  all,  '  Acquaint  now  thyself  with 
God,  and  be  at  peace :  thereby  good  shall  come  unto  thee.'  " 
He  regarded  the  whole  letter  "  as  an  extraordinary  produc- 
tion." Rev.  T.  B.  Thayer,  of  Lowell,  wrote  to  him  respect- 
ing it:  "  I  confess  I  have  never  been  more  moved  by  any 
thing  in  my  life.  I  desire  to  thank  that  bereaved  woman  for 
the  witness  she  has  given.  I  took  the  letter  into  the  pulpit 
with  me  yesterdaj'  instead  of  a  sermon,  and  read  it  to  the 
people,  with  such  comments  as  }'ou  know  must  have  flowed 
from  it.  It  was  more  to  them  than  any  sermon  of  mine  could 
have  been,  and  did  them  far  more  good." 

Mr.  Whittemore  writes  from  Washington,  D.C.,  under  date 
March  2.  He  had  preached  in  Hartford,  Ct.,  on  the  Sabbath 
previous.  He  describes  his  journey  to  the  capital,  and  places 
in  it,  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  the  Capitol,  the  unfinished 
Washington  Monument.  Desiring  to  enjoy  the  extensive  view 
to  be  taken  at  its  top,  he  writes:  "With  the  foolishness  of 
a  child  we  resolved  to  climb  to  the  top,  and  take  a  view.  The 
only  means  of  access  were  the  ladders  used  by  the  builders. 
Up  we  climbed,  stopping  at  each  plank  to  view  the  stones  and 
take  breath.  But  the  descent.  It  was  more  fearful  than  the 
ascent.  Suppose  (thought  we)  a  man  should  become  faint  up 
here  on  this  ladder.  The  very  thought  caused  a  cold  sweat ! 
the  knees  that  bore  us  shook !  the  arms  trembled !  and  glad 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  225 

enough  we  were  when  we  reached  the  ground.  We  could  not 
take  a  firm  step  for  several  hours.  We  went  to  see  the  Presi- 
dent, but  he  was  engaged  with  his  cabinet.  We  repaired  to 
the  Capitol,  and  held  very  pleasant  interviews  in  the  Senate 
Chamber  with  Governor  Davis  and  Mr.  Sumner  of  our  own 
State ;  and  in  the  House,  with  Messrs.  Thompson,  Davis, 
Rautoul,  Appleton,  Duncan,  and  others.  As  our  business 
with  these  eminent  men  had  nothing  to  do  with  Universalism, 
we  will  not  describe  it  here."  He  says  at  the  close  of  his 
visit :  ' '  We  must  say  that  we  had  rather  spend  a  month  here 
than  in  any  other  city  or  place  in  the  United  States  which  we 
have  ever  visited." 

From  Washington,  he  went  to  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  where 
he  notes  and  describes  a  Virginia  spring  ;  thence  to  Baltimore 
and  New  York,  up  the  Hudson  River,  and  home  by  the  Hud- 
son and  Berkshire,  Vermont  and  Massachusetts,  and  Fitch- 
burg  Railroads.  "  No  place  like  home"  is  again  realized. 

The  Memoir  of  Rev.  Walter  Balfour,  by  Mr.  Whittemore, 
is  issued  in  May.  It  is  a  volume  of  224  pages  ;  "a  book  for 
the  people,"  as  its  author  states. 

A  visit  to  Lawrence  is  recorded.  "We  rode  to  Lawrence 
through  Andover.  On  arriving  at  the  Merrimack  River,  we 
learned  that  there  was  no  crossing  for  carriages,  and  were 
obliged  to  leave  the  horse  on  this  side,  and  cross  on  foot  on 
the  viaduct  of  the  railroad.  On  the  other  side,  we  joined  a 
friend  waiting  with  a  chaise,  who  took  us  to  the  church.  It 
happens  to  us,  almost  every  time  we  go  to  Lawrence,  that  a 
text  is  placed  in  the  pulpit  for  us  to  explain  ;  and  on  entering, 
on  Sunday  morning  last,  we  found  the  following  note  :  — 

"  '  Mr.  AVhittemore,  — Will  you  please  to  preach  from  the 
following  passage  of  Scripture  this  morning  :  "  And  the  smoke 
of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever ;  and  they 
have  no  rest  day  nor  night"  (Rev.  xiv.  11).'  Instead  of 

15 


226  MK.M01R    OF 

preaching  from  this  text  in  the  morning,  we  gave  notice  that 
we  would  do  so  in  the  afternoon ;  and  a  very  large  congre- 
gation came  together  to  listen  to  the  services,  and  they  did 
listen.  Owing  to  the  great  heat  of  the  day,  we  found  our- 
selves much  fatigued  by  the  exertion.  It  did  not,  however, 
prevent  our  return  to  Cambridge  after  the  service.  The  ride 
was  pleasant.  The  fields  were  all  green ;  the  trees  were 
blossoming ;  the  woods  were  fragrant ;  the  brooks  and  rivers 
glowed  in  the  sunlight ;  the  birds  were  singing ;  in  fine,  it 
was  such  a  day  as  filled  the  heart  to  overflowing  with  devout 
gratitude  to  God." 

Mr.  Whittemore  proposes  to  Dr.  Edward  Beecher,  pastor 
of  a  Congregationalist  church  in  Boston,  an  exchange  of  pul- 
pits. He  urges  his  reasons  for  this  invitation.  One  is,  that 
he  belongs  to  a  family  who  have  exercised  great  freedom  of 
speech  and  independence  of  action ;  another,  that  such  a  step 
might  help  Universalists  and  Congregationalists  to  a  better 
understanding  of  each  other's  opinions.  "Calvinists  say 
that  they  are  misrepresented  by  Universalists  ;  and  we  on  our 
part  say  (and  I  fully  believe  the  declaration  is  true) ,  that  our 
opinions  and  interpretations  of  Scripture  are  misrepresented — 
perhaps  without  due  reflection  —  by  Calvinists.  An  exchange 
of  pulpits  between  the  two  will  do  much  to  obviate  these 
evils.  If  the  proposition  I  now  make  should  be  acceded  to 
on  your  part,  let  it  be  understood  that  each  is  to  declare  his 
doctrines  without  reserve  in  the  pulpit  of  the  other.  I  should 
be  exceedingly  happy  to  have  such  an  opportunity  ;  for  I  some- 
times suspect  that  Calvinists  in  all  cases  do  not  know  what 
are  the  creeds  of  their  own  churches.  You  shall  have  the 
same  privilege,  and  you  need  not  be  in  the  least  afraid  that 
our  darkness  will  put  out  your  light.  Will  this  give  olfeiicc? 
To  whom?  Not  to  those  who  have  the  right  spirit.  If  I 
have  been  correctly  informed,  there  are  some  Universalists 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  227 

who  are  communicants  in  the  church  of  which  you  are  pastor. 
They  will  not  be  offended,  but  gratified.  A  member  of  your 
church  called  to  see  me  a  few  days  since,  and  avowed  him- 
self a  Universalist.  He  said  that  it  was  known  to  you  that 
he  was.  How  many  such  there  are  in  orthodox  churches  I 
do  not  know.  Professor  Stuart  speaks  as  though  there  were 
many.  I  am  not  a  pastor,  Doctor ;  but  I  feel  perfect  con- 
fidence that  if  you  accede  to  this  proposition  for  an  exchange, 
I  can  procure  for  you  a  Universalist  pulpit  in  this  city ;  and 
your  services  can  be  repaid  b}~  the  services  of  the  pastor  in 
whose  pulpit  you  preach,  or  by  my  own." 

Dr.  Beecher  is  not  inclined  to  accept  the  invitation.  He 
objects  that  the  proposal  should  have  been  made  in  the  paper 
instead  of  having  been  privately  offered.  He  says  :  "I  feel  no 
need  of  such  a  discussion.  If  I  supposed  that  the  principles 
and  practices  of  my  denomination  on  this  subject  were  wrong,  I 
should  not  hesitate  to  free  myself  from  their  influence.  Believ- 
ing them  to  be  true,  I  have  no  desire  to  be  free  from  the  truth. 
I  therefore  respectfully  decline  your  offer.  I  am,  however, 
in  favor  of  a  full  and  candid  investigation  of  the  points  at 
issue  between  us ;  and  have  alread}',  in  a  course  of  evening 
lectures,  taken  occasion  to  state  my  views.  I  propose  still 
farther  to  pursue  the  subject,  giving  public  notice  of  the  time 
and  place  ;  and  I  extend  a  cordial  invitation  to  your  readers 
to  be  present,  and  hear  and  judge  for  themselves.  Regard- 
ing with  deep  interest  the  welfare  of  your  denomination,  it 
has  been  and  shall  be  my  ami  in  such  discussions  to  avoid 
whatever  may  produce  misunderstanding  and  hostility,  and 
thus  prevent  the  full  results  of  fair  and  candid  reasoning." 

Mr.  Whittemore  answers,  in  substance:  "You  say,  dear 
Doctor,  that  you  are  in  favor  of  a  full  and  fair  investigation 
of  the  points  at  issue  between  us.  This  is  very  well :  I  am 
happy  to  have  you  avow  it.  Now,  the  principal  point  at  issue 


228  MEMOIR  OF 

between  us  is  that  of  the  endless  punishment  of  a  part  of  the 
human  race.  Are  you  in  favor  of  a  full  and  fair  investigation 
of  that  point?  You  say  you  have  already  taken  occasion,  in 
a  course  of  evening  lectures,  to  state  your  opinions  on  cer- 
tain of  those  points.  But,  dear  sir,  please  to  remember  that 
you  give  Universalists  no  opportunity  'to  reply  to  what  you 
say.  The  very  fact  that  you  avow  your  desire  to  have  my 
readers  listen  to  your  lectures,  because  you  wish  them  to 
judge  for  themselves,  lays  jrou  under  an  obligation  to  let 
them  hear  both  sides  when  they  come  to  your  church ;  for 
how  can  they  judge  safely  without  hearing  both  sides  ?  What 
should  you  think  of  a  jiuy  who  should  be  read}'  to  render  a 
verdict  after  having  heard  one  side  only?  Or,  what  should 
you  think  of  a  party  in  a  cause  who  should  be  unwilling  to  be 
confronted  face  to  face  with  his  opponent  ?  Now,  as  you  are 
so  deeply  friendly  to  Universalists ;  as  you  are  willing  they 
should  know  the  truth  ;  as  you  are  seeking  to  edify  them ;  as  you 
invite  them  to  your  church,  —  will  you  not  open  your  pulpit  ? 
Or,  if  you  cannot  do  that,  will  you  not  allow  some  Universal- 
ist  clerg}Tnan  a  foothold  upon  your  pulpit  stairs,  to  notice 
what  you  may  say ;  that  if  you  preach  the  truth,  we  may  re- 
joice with  you  ;  '  and  if  you  should  happen  to  defend  an  error, 
we  might  point  it  out.' 

"If  you  cannot  do  this,  my  clerical  friend,  will  you  do 
what  you  ask  me  to  do?  Will  you  come  with  your  church 
and  congregation  to  one  of  our  churches?  Your  honored 
father  said,  twenty  3rears  ago,  that  all  he  wanted  was  •  ;m 
open  field  and  fair  pla}'.'  I  hope  that  all  this  talk  about  fair 
play  is  not  mere  talk.  If  it  is  right  for  you  to  invite  our 
people  to  your  church,  it  is  right  for  us  to  invite  your  people 
to  our  churches  ;  and  if  it  is  right  for  you  to  expect  our  people 
to  accept  your  invitation,  it  is  right  for  us  to  expect  yours  to 
do  the  same  thing.  I  do  now  invite  you,  your  deacons,  your 


THOMAS  WHITTEMORE:  229 

church,  your  congregation,  one  and  all,  to  come.  You, 
Doctor,  believe  in  free  agency ;  and  I  join  with  you  in  that 
belief  so  far  as  to  say  that  you  can  come  if  you  will.  Now, 
Doctor,  will  you  come  ?  '  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come. 
And  let  him  that  heareth  sa3r,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is 
athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water 
of  life  freely'  (Rev.  xxii.  17).  Will  you  come?  I  hope  I 
am  not  calling  '  spirits  from  the  vasty  deep.'  So  far  as  it  is 
possible  for  man  to  do  it,  we  will  give  you  the  water  of  eternal 
life,  without  any  admixture  of  the  toxicurn  of  eternal  death. 
Signify  that  you  will  come,  and  I  will  use  my  best  endeavors 
to  obtain  a  Universalist  meeting-house  as  near  yours  as  possi- 
ble ;  and  a  large  part  of  it,  if  desired,  can  be  set  apart, 
especially  for  your  congregation.  '  Whosoever  will,  let  him 
come.' " 

"Anniversary  Week"  this  year  is  thus  comprehensively 
reported  by  the  editor  through  his  Trumpet,  of  June  5  :  — 

';  The  great  week  has  passed,  and  it  has  been  indeed  a 
great  week.  At  its  close,  almost  exhausted  in  body,  but 
strengthened  and  quickened  in  soul,  we  sit  down  to  report 
to  our  readers  '  that  which  .we  have  seen  and  heard.'  Oh 
that  the}'  could  all  have  been  there  !  Such  zeal  in  the  cause 
of  truth,  such  faithfulness,  such  a  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  such 
a  determination  to  persevere  in  all  that  is  good,  we  have 
never  seen  among  our  brethren  before.  At  certain  times  it 
seemed  like  the  '  day  of  Pentecost  fully  come.'  The  glow  of 
heaven  seemed  to  dwell  upon  the  brethren ;  they  were  filled 
with  power  from  on  high  ;  and  spake  as  the  Spirit  gave  them 
utterance.  The  speaking  was  of  the  most  useful  and  effective 
kind  ;  and  it  must  do  good.  Those  who  have  listened  to  it 
cannot  resist  its  power.  These  remarks  are  especially  true 
of  the  addresses  at  the  Festival  on  Thursday  afternoon. 
Brothers  Cobb,  Hosea  Ballou,  Miner,  Case,  of  Bath,  Me.  ;  Til- 


230  MEMOIR    OF 

lotson,  of  Manchester,  N.H. ;  Dennis,  of  Attleboro;  Chapin, 
of  New  York ;  E.  A.  Eaton,  P.  H.  Sweetser,  B.  B.  Mussey, 
T.  S.  King,  and  others,  —  spake  as  the}'  never  spake  before. 
Brother  Chapin  never  made  an  address  equal  to  his  address 
on  that  occasion ;  and  we  are  almost  tempted  to  say,  no 
other  man  ever  made  such  an  address.  King's,  too,  was 
neat,  beautiful,  powerful.  Father  Ballou  was  singularly 
appropriate  and  happy,  and  Tillotson,  whom  we  never  heard 
address  a  Boston  audience  before,  took  the  house  by  stonn. 
There  were  probably  about  five  hundred  persons  at  the 
tables, — ladies  and  gentlemen,  —  a  third  of  them,  perhaps, 
clergyman  and  their  wives.  We  dare  not  encourage  any  one 
to  believe  that  the  Universalists  will  ever  have  another 
meeting  in  Boston  in  all  respects  equal  to  it." 

The  Boston  Bee  said  of  Mr.  Whittemore's  speech  at  the 
Festival :  ' '  The  Old  Bay  State  was  complimented  in  a  neat 
sentiment.  Rev.  Thomas  Whittemore  was  called  upon  to 
respond,  which  he  did  in  a  most  witty  manner.  He  paid  an 
eloquent  compliment  to  Rev.  Mr.  Chapin,  whom  he  and  all 
Bostonians  were  always  glad  to  see.  The  speaker  referred 
to  Faneuil  Hall  as  the  '  Cradle  of  Liberty,'  and  then  went  on 
most  humorously  to  consider  it  as  a  cradle.  Mr.  Whittemore 
was  the  occasion  of  much  amusement.  Anecdote,  wit,  phil- 
osophy, were  delightfully  blended." 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  held  its  session  this  year  in 
Plymouth.  It  was  well  attended,  and  the  meetings  were  of 
much  interest.  "  Only  one  thing,"  writes  Mr.  Whittemore, 
"  occurred  to  mar  the  perfect  felicity  of  the  occasion  ;  viz., 
a  report  which  reached  the  town  of  the  sudden  sickness  of 
Father  Ballou,  which  proved  afterward  not  to  have  been  with- 
out foundation."  Mr.  AVhittemore  and  Rev.  H.  Ballou  2d, 
presided  at  the  communion  service  on  the  last  afternoon  of 
the  session. 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  231 

On  Monday  of  the  next  week  after  the  Convention,  June 
7,  the  Rev.  Hosea  Ballon  departed  this  life.  It  was  a  start- 
ling announcement  to  the  Universalist  public:  it  was  an 
event  causing  a  deep  sensation  wherever  personally  or  by 
reputation  this  distinguished  and  now  venerable  man  was 
known.  A  "  father  in  Israel "  had  indeed  fallen  ;  but  full  of 
honors  as  of  years.  AVhen  the  announcement  of  the  event 
was  made  at  Cornhill,  the  Board  of  the  Home  Missionary 
Societ}-  was  in  session.  Surprise  and  sadness  brought  its 
business  to  a  close.  An  impressive  silence  was  broken  by 
the  emphatic  utterance  of  its  chairman,  Mr.  Mussey,  "Let 
me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be 
like  his." 

Mr.  AYhitteinore  writes  in  concluding  a  notice  of  the  life 
and  character  of  this  eminent  man :  "  For  myself,  I  ac- 
knowledge that  I  feel  most  deeply  the  loss  of  this  steadfast 
friend.  I  mourn  not  for  him,  but  for  myself.  To  me  he  had 
been  a  father.  He  found  me  in  my  early  manhood,  and  drew 
me  out  from  seclusion.  He  taught  my  lips  to  pray.  He 
turned  my  attention  to  the  ministry,  and  sought  and  obtained 
the  means  to  support  me  when  I  had  not  a  cent  with  which 
to  help  myself.  He  has  been  the  earnest,  steadfast  friend  of 
my  wife  and  children  ;  my  teacher  to  the  day  of  his  death  ; 
a  man  of  whom  I  have  learned  more  concerning  God  and  the 
Divine  Word,  and  the  relation  between  God  and  man,  than 
I  have  learned  from  any  other  human  source.  How  can  the 
event  of  such  a  man's  death  transpire  without  exciting  in 
me  extraordinary  sensations  ?  And  yet  I  am  not  inconsola- 
ble. When  I  reflect  upon  what  he  was,  upon  the  length  of 
his  life,  upon  the  great  measure  of  good  he  accomplished,  I 
cease  to  mourn.  And  now,  although  there  never  will  be, 
for  there  never  can  be,  another  man  to  me  like  Father  Ballou, 
I  will  be  reconciled.  And  I  will  close  this  brief  sketch  with 


232  MEMOIR    OF 

the  words  of  Job,  — '  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away  ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.' " 

He  has  a  sharp  but  just  criticism  upon  a  short  article  from 
the  pen  of  Rev.  Walter  Colton,  an  Episcopalian  Chaplain  in 
the  United  States  Navy.  The  article  appeared  in  the  Sailor's 
Magazine,  a  pretended  unsectarian  publication. 

u  UNIVERSALISM  AMONG  SAILORS. — A  Universalist  was 
once  appointed  a  chaplain  in  the  navy,  and  reported  for  duty 
on  board  one  of  our  ships  fitting  for  the  sea.  His  creed  very 
soon  became  known  to  the  sailors,  and  was  freely  discussed 
in  their  messes. 

"  '  If  we  are  all  so  good  that  we  are  going  to  heaven,'  said 
an  old  tar,  '  what 's  the  use  of  overhauling  one's  sins  ?  it  only 
gives  a  man  a  bloody  sight  of  trouble  for  nothing.' 

"  'If  we  are  all  on  the  right  track,'  said  another,  '  and 
must  bring  up  at  the  right  port,  what  is  the  use  of  preaching 
and  pra3'ing  about  it  ? ' 

"  '  If  we  trust  this  doctrine,  and  it  don't  turn  out  to  be  true, 
there  '11  be  hell  to  pay,'  exclaimed  a  third. 

"  These  sentiments  were  shared  in  by  the  whole  crew,  and 
soon  became  known  to  the  newty  appointed  chaplain,  who 
was  wise  enough  to  resign  his  mission." 

Mr.  Whittemore  saj-s  :  ' '  Probably  this  narration  is  solely 
fictitious.  The  Episcopalians  have  so  long  enjoyed  the 
honors  and  emoluments  of  chaplaincies  on  ship-board,  that 
they  feel  almost  as  if  their  rights  were  invaded  if  a  clergy- 
man of  another  sect  is  appointed.  A  Universalist  was  ap- 
pointed we  believe  ;  and  this  fact  gave  rise  to  the  attempted 
witticism.  However,  we  will  suppose  the  story  all  to  be  true  ; 
what  is  the  just  inference  ? 

"1st.  That  sailors  are  not  Universalists.  They  are  believers 
in  endless  misery,  and  are  profane  and  wicked.  They  think 
'  there  '11  be  hell  to  pay,'  if  Universalism  don't  turn  out  to  be 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  233 

true.  This  is  the  language  which  naturally  grows  out  of  such 
a  faith.  These  sentiments,  says  Mr.  Colton,  were  shared  in 
by  the  whole  crew. 

"  2d.  The  great  fault  of  the  article  is,  it  represents  that  there 
is  nothing  for  man  to  be  saved  from  except  endless  hell-fire. 
No  salvation  from  sin  ;  because  if  we  are  all '  going  to  heaven 
at  last,  what  is  the  use  in  overhauling  one's  sins.'  According 
to  this  the  only  motive  to  goodness  is  the  hope  of  escape  from 
endless  burnings.  No  other  salvation  is  needed.  People 
who  believe  this  ought  to  pray,  '  Lord,  save  us  from  endless 
burnings :  we  need  no  other  salvation.'  Salvation  from  sin 
is  nothing :  all  we  want  is  to  be  saved  from  endless  burnings. 
Such  is  the  character  of  the  prevalent  orthodoxy  of  our  coun- 
try, whether  of  the  Episcopal  or  any  other  form." 


234  MEMOIR   OF 


CHAPTER    XII. 

1852-1854. 
AGED     52-54. 

U.S.  Convention  at  New  York  —  Mr.  Higginson's  Sermon  —  A  Question 
asked  and  answered —  Should  Universalists  be  aggressive?  —  Site  of 
Tufts  College  — Life  Sketch  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawyer  —  Sonnet  —  Foot- 
notes—  Irish  Repartee — Death  of  Rev.  Edward  Turner  —  Anniver- 
sary Meetings  —  Reform  Festival  —  Mr.  Whittemore's  Speech  —  Rev. 
Theodore  Parker  —  Rev.  Dr.  Sharp  —  Laying  Corner-stone  of  Tufts 
College  —  Stale  Joke  noticed  —  Spiritualism  —  Rockingham  Associa- 
tion —  Preaches  in  New  York  —  Dr.  E.  Beecher's  "  Conflict  of  Ages  " 

—  Boston  Association  —  Controversy  among  Brethren  —  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  on  Future  Punishment  —  Remarks  —  Professor  Maurice  —  Dr. 
Ballou  visits  Europe  —  Anniversary  Week  —  Excitement  —  Festival : 
Mr.  Whittemore's  Speech  —  Letter  from  Rev.  T.  Clapp  —  Orthodoxy 
of   the  past  and  present  —  U.S.   Convention  in   Philadelphia  —  E. 
Kingston,  N.H.  —  Warren,  Mass.  —  Attack  of  Paralysis  —  Hard  Work 

—  Expostulation  of  Friends. 

THE  session  of  the  United  States  Convention  was  held  in 
New  York  city  this  year.  At  the  first  meeting  in  Metropoli- 
tan Hall,  three  thousand  persons  were  present.  A  mass 
meeting  of  great  interest  was  held  there  on  Wednesday  morn- 
ing (of  the  second  day)  ;  and  there  were  services  in  five  or 
six  churches  (including  Brooklyn  and  Williamsburg)  at  other 
times.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  Brooklyn,  on  Thursday 
evening,  at  the  close  of  the  session. 

He  notices  at  this  time  a  published  sermon  by  Mr.  T.  W. 
Higginson,  minister  of  the  Free  Church  in  Worcester.  It 
was  preached  by  the  author  at  his  own  installation.  Mr. 
Higginson's  sentiments  were  similar  to  those  of  Rev.  Theo- 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  235 

dore  Parker ;  less  definite  in  theology,  however.  Mr.  Whit- 
temore  makes  brief  extracts  from  the  sermon,  and  objects  to 
the  manner  in  which  Mr.  Higginson  speaks  of  the  Bible. 
"  In  our  opinion  he  has  no  faith  in  the  Bible.  His  system, 
if  it  may  bear  that  name,  Ia3*s  the  axe  at  the  root  of  all  rev- 
elation. We  do  not  see  why  he  may  not  consider  himself, 
according  to  his  theory  of  inspiration,  as  much  inspired  as 
Paul  was  ;  and  perhaps  he  does.  He  would  have  men  discard 
the  Bible  and  trust  in  themselves.  Like  the  infatuated  sea- 
man, he  would  throw  the  compass  and  all  astronomical  in- 
struments overboard,  and  then  cut  the  cable,  and  set  sail, 
without  any  sight  of  the  heavens  or  the  land.  Where  would 
he  bring  up  except  on  the  rocks  of  infidelity?  For  our  own 
part,  we  shah1  not  follow  Mr.  Higginson's  advice.  The  very 
religion  which  he  recommends  to  men  as  the  sum  of  all  good 
(viz.,  love  to  God  and  love  to  men)  is  the  religion  of  the 
very  Bible  which  he  seeks  to  undermine.  In  fine,  we  regard 
Mr.  Higginson,  not  as  a  planet,  revolving  around  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  according  to  fixed  laws,  and  ever  reflecting 
the  central  light ;  but  as  a  meteor,  that  sparkles  for  a  little 
tune,  and  then  goes  out  to  be  seen  no  more."  Mr.  Higgin- 
son afterwards  gave  up  his  ministry  as  a  religious  teacher, 
and  his  congregation  in  Worcester  was  scattered.  He  has 
since  been  somewhat  eminent  among  the  literary  writers  of 
our  land. 

"  Who  Believe  It?  "  is  a  question  asked  by  Mr.  Whittemore 
in  the  November  6th  issue  of  his  paper :  ' '  Within  one  fort- 
night, we  were  conversing  with  a  gentleman  who  is  a  stated 
attendant  at  one  of  the  orthodox  churches  in  Cambridge. 
He  said  '  he  trusted  in  the  goodness  of  God.'  He  '  felt  that 
he  was  in  the  hands  of  a  Father,  who  cannot  afflict  willingly, 
and  who  will  overrule  all  things  for  good.'  '  Well,'  said  we 
with  some  surprise,  '  what  becomes  of  your  doctrine  of  end- 


236  MEMOIR  OF 

less  misery ?  How  do  you  get  along  with  that ? '  'I  don't 
have  any  thing  to  do  with  it,'  he  replied.  '  But '  (said  we) , 
'  your  minister  preaches  it.'  '  That's  his  concern,'  said  he, 
'  and  not  mine.  I  don't  believe  it,'  he  continued ;  '  I  be- 
lieve that  God  is  good ;  that's  my  confidence  :  he  will  do  all 
things  well ;  he  cannot  forsake  the  work  of  his  hands.' 

"  We  believe  that  two-thirds  of  the  people  who  attend 
what  are  considered  orthodox  meetings  are  like  this  man. 
They  do  not  believe  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment.  If 
the  clergyman  preaches  it,  that  is  his  concern,  they  think. 
They  go  to  the  orthodox  meetings  for  very  different  reasons 
than  because  they  have  strong  faith  in  orthodox  doctrines : 
many  go  because  it  is  fashionable  ;  some  because  their  wives 
or  daughters  wish  to  go  there  ;  some  because  they  dislike  to 
break  away  from  a  circle  of  old  friends ;  some  because  they 
own  pews ;  some  because  they  love  the  minister  as  a  man ; 
some  because  the  society  is  the  chief  one  in  the  town,  &c. 
How  few  go  because  the}'  believe  the  creed.  Talk  about  the 
viral  power  there  is  in  orthodoxy  !  If  it  had  had  nothing  to 
sustain  it  but  its  own  essential  power,  it  would  have  died  out 
long  ago.  It  is  sustained  in  many  places  merely  by  the  fact 
that  it  is  the  fashionable  religion.  That  is  its  vital  power, 
its  saving  efficacy.  It  is  the  religion  of  the  many  —  the  rich, 
the  leading  men  in  society.  Were  it  not  for  all  these  things, 
how  long  would  it  live  ?  " 

u  Should  Universalism  be  Aggressive?  "  is  another  question 
claiming  attention.  There  seems  to  be  but  one  side  to  it,  as 
Mr.  Whittemore  regarded  the  subject.  He  says  :  — 

"The  sermon  preached  recently  before  the  General  Con- 
vention of  Universalists  in  New  York  was  objected  to  by 
some  as  being  aggressive  in  its  spirit.  If  this  was  the  fact, 
it  should  not  be  regarded  as  an  objectionable  feature.  Shall 
a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  hold  up  a  flag  of  truce  to  sin  and 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  237 

error  ?  Shall  he  parley  with  false  doctrines  ?  Shall  he  say 
to  those  who  defend  them,  '  "We  will  let  you  alone  if  you  will 
let  us  alone  ? '  '  We  are  merely  going  to  maintain  our  ground, 
and  if  you  do  not  trouble  us  we  shall  not  trouble  you.' 

"  Primitive  Christianity  was  aggressive.  Jesus  was 
aggressive.  He  did  not  come  into  the  world  merely  to 
share  dominion  with  the  adversary.  But  he  came  to  assault 
the  kingdom  of  darkness,  and  claim  every  child  of  Adam  as 
the  purchase  of  his  blood.  He  attacked  error  and  sin.  He 
did  not  act  merely  on  the  defensive.  In  his  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  one  of  the  earliest  he  ever  preached,  he  denounced 
the  old  and  venerable  errors  of  the  Jews,  honored  from  old 
time  by  the  faith,  affection,  and  reverence  of  the  people. 
Jesus  when  on  earth  felt  it  his  duty  to  be  aggressive.  So 
did  his  apostles.  When  his  resurrection  was  known,  did  they 
not  carry  the  war  into  the  very  centre  of  the  enemy's  field  ? 
They  pursued  a  straightforward  course.  They  could  suffer, 
but  they  would  not  temporize.  Paul  regarded  the  Christian 
enterprise  as  a  conflict,  and  told  his  brethren  what  armor 
they  must  put  on. 

"  Has  the  necessity  for  the  aggressive  plan  of  operations 
passed  away?  Xo,  indeed.  There  are  now  strongholds  to 
be  pulled  down,  and  high  things  that  exalt  themselves  against 
the  true  knowledge  of  God.  Let  the  preacher  have  his  own 
style,  but  let  him  be  faithful  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  Let  him 
remember  that  the  world  belongs  to  Christ ;  that  error  has  no 
right  in  the  world ;  that,  however  venerable  and  gray  by  age 
it  may  be,  it  should  be  thrown  down,  because  it  exalteth 
itself  against  the  true  knowledge  of  God." 

Of  the  scenery  as  viewed  from  the  hill  where  the  new  Col- 
lege is  to  have  its  place.  Mr..  Whittemore  says:  "  Mingling 
in  the  panorama  are  sea  and  land,  the  city  and  the  country, 
beautiful  villages  and  detached  and  elegant  buildings,  vessels 


238  MEMOIR    OF 

of  war  and  vessels  of  commerce,  steamers,  railroads  with 
trains  continually  passing,  bridges,  viaducts  and  excellent 
roads,  spires  of  churches  pointing  to  heaven  on  every 
side,  monuments  and  public  buildings,  farms,  gardens, 
hills,  valleys,  graceful  lawns  arrayed  in  living  green, — in 
fact,  every  thing  that  can  please  the  eye  of  the  true  lover 
of  nature." 

In  the  Trumpet  of  Dec.  25,  a  Biographical  Sketch  of  Mr. 
Whittemore,  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Saw3-er,  is  copied  from  the  L'ni- 
versalist  Miscellany.  It  was  written  four  years  previous.1 
Some  foot-notes  are  added,  in  which  Mr.  Whittemore  gives 
an  account  of  certain  matters  which  the  original  sketch  did 
not  contain.  Of  his  connection  with  the  Cambridge  Bank 
and  other  secular  interests,  he  writes :  "  I  take  the  occasion 
to  say  that  I  have  never  permitted  any  thing  to  interfere 
with  my  duty  to  the  cause  of  Universalism.  Associated  as  I 
am  with  men  of  all  creeds,  mixing  with  them  at  Temperance 
conventions,  railroad  meetings,  &c.,  I  never  sacrificed  for 

1  Accompanying  the  above-mentioned  Sketch  of  Mr.  Whittemore's 
life,  by  Kev.  T.  J.  Sawyer,  is  the  following  sonnet  to  the  preacher,  by 
Mrs.  C.  M.  Sawyer,  which  we  place  in  this  volume:  — 


Man  of  most  rare  and  unrelaxing  zeal,  — 
Pressing  still  onward  in  the  path  of  truth, 
Thy  manhood's  prime  fulfilling  all  thy  youth, 

In  its  full  ripeness  heralded,  — the  seal 

Of  faith  is  on  thy  life;  thy  years  reveal 
A  brave  unflinching  heart;  an  earnest  love 
For  God  and  truth,  which  weighing  far  above 

All  baser  motive  thy  strong  mind  could  feel, 
Have  sped  thee  on,  thy  ofttimes  thorny  way, 
And  shed  their  light  o'er  many  a  darksome  day. 

On  then,  nor  falter !  let  thy  path  be  trod, 

What  time  thy  Maker  grants  thee  yet  with  eye 
Upturned,  and  reverent  heart;  then  shall  thou  die, 

When  comes  thy  summons,  blest  of  man  and  God ! 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  239 

once  my  religious  principles.  I  never  cringed  to  any  sect.  I 
have  always  loved  the  cause  of  Universalism ;  and,  although 
I  am  changeable  like  other  men,  I  have  no  fear  that  I  shall 
ever  love  any  other  doctrine.  Whenever  men  see  fit  to  refer 
to  my  religion,  as  the}'  sometimes  (but  not  often)  have  done, 
I  defend  it.  I  will  not  introduce  it  out  of  place  ;  but  if  others 
introduce  it  I  will  defend  it.  A  stockholder  once  referred  to 
my  Universalism  at  a  railroad  meeting,  and  got  up  a  laugh. 
I  replied  to  him  that  since  he  had  introduced  Universalism  I 
wished  to  say  that,  if  some  railroad  men  whom  I  knew  were  not 
saved  on  the  principle  of  divine  grace,  they  never  would  be 
saved  at  all ;  for  they  certainly  never  could  be  saved  for  their 
good  works ;  and  this  turned  the  tide  altogether  against  the 
individual  who  had  alluded  to  me. 

11  My  life  has  been  an  exceedingly  active  one.  I  went 
West  for  a  larger  field  in  1827.  If  I  had  then  removed,  I 
should  have  gone  to  Cincinnati  and  commenced  the  Trumpet 
there.  My  neighbors,  the  members  of  the  society  in  Cam- 
bridgeport,  and  my  oldest  sister  especially,  over-persuaded 
me  not  to  leave  Xew  England.  My  dear  wife  was  willing  to 
follow  the  fortunes  of  her  husband,  but  perhaps  was  pleased 
(though  she  kept  it  to  herself)  when  she  found  I  was  not 
going.  I  have  never  done  so  much  business  that  I  could  not 
have  done  more.  My  business  is  my  pastime.  Once  in  a 
while  there  may  have  been  a  pressure,  and  my  feelings  may 
have  got  excited,  like  the  waters  in  a  freshet,  when  the  river 
gets  suddenly  obstructed  ;  but,  in  a  little  time,  the  current 
would  clear  the  obstruction  away,  and  every  thing  would  flow 
on  again  as  smoothly  as  usual.  The  secret  of  doing  a  great 
deal,  is  to  do  it  in  an  easy  and  orderly  way.  In  the  midst 
of  my  labor  I  have  taken  much  bodily  exercise.  Although 
1113*  weight  has  uniformly  been  210  or  215  pounds,  except 
when  sick,  I  walk,  as  a  general  thing,  five  miles  a  day.  The 


240  ur.uoiR  OF 


owners  of  the  Cambridge  omnibuses  are  not  much  the  richer 
for  me." 

In  these  foot-notes  to  the  Memoir  by  Dr.  Sawyer,  he 
records  the  following  instance  of  repartee  on  the  part  of  an 
Irishman,  which  he  deemed  too  noteworthy  to  be  lost.  It 
was  very  seldom  that  Mr.  TVhittemore  was  outdone  in  an 
encounter  of  this  kind  :  — 

"As  to  wit,  I  recollect  an  instance  in  which  I  found  the 
wit  of  an  Irishman  altogether  too  quick  for  me.  I  had  been 
appointed  President  of  the  Vermont  and  Massachusetts  Rail- 
road, and  was  up  in  an  interior  town,  in  1849,  looking  about, 
when  I  discovered  two  Irishmen  loading  a  platform  car  with 
chestnut  rails,  with  which  the  road  was  being  fenced.  They 
threw  the  rails  with  great  violence  on  the  cars,  and  I  thought 
they  were  doing  damage.  I  spoke  to  them  as  kindly  as  pos- 
sible, '  Men,  do  not  throw  those  rails  so  furiously.'  They 
evidently  did  not  know  the  new  President,  for  one  raised  his 
head  and  asked,  '  Who  in  -  arej'ou?'  I  did  not  wish  to 
hurt  the  man's  feelings,  and  therefore  I  did  not  let  him  know 
who  I  was.  The}'  abated  their  violence  for  a  few  mo- 
ments ;  but  soon  got  at  it  again  as  badly  as  before.  I  spoke 
again,  '  Men,  I  asked  you  not  to  throw  those  rails  so  vio- 
lently.' The  same  arch  fellow  lifted  his  head  with  a  comical 
mixture  of  fun  and  face,  and  belched  out  the  profane  retort, 
'  You  go  to  -  .'  I  replied  with  all  the  formality  I  could  com- 
mand, 'No  sir,  I  shall  do  no  such  thing:  I  never  was  there 
in  my  life,  and,  more  than  that,  it  's  the  last  place  I  should 
wish  to  go  to.'  '  Ah  !  '  said  Pat,  wagging  his  head.  •  perhaps 
it's  the  last  place  you  iver  will  go  to  !  '  It  was  a  shrewd 
thrust  from  a  Catholic,  for  he  holds  that  some  will  eseape. 
from  future  punishments  after  having  suffered  them  for  a  time  ; 
but  Pat  thought  there  was  no  hope  for  me.  The  place  he 
named,  he  supposed  was  the  last  I  should  go  to.  I  never  let 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  24l' 

him  know  who  he  was  addressing ;  but  spoke  to  the  fence 
contractor  to  prevent  their  abusing  the  cars." 

In  his  paper  of  March  5,  1853,  he  announces  his  intention 
of  preparing  the  biography  of  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou,  containing 
a  full  account  of  his  life  and  writings.  His  design  was 
subsequently  carried  out.  Four  volumes  of  the  Biography 
were  issued,  which  included  quite  a  comprehensive  history  of 
Universalism  in  America  during  the  lifetime  of  this  eminent 
man. 

The  death  of  Rev.  Edward  Turner  is  noted  in  the  Trumpet 
of  March  19.  He  was  one  of  the  early  preachers  of  Univer- 
salism, and  a  man  of  marked  ability.  His  chief  settlements 
as  pastor  had  been  in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  Portsmouth,  N.H., 
and  Charlton,  Mass.  Mr.  Whittemore  writes  of  him  :  "  His 
sermons  were  marked  with  clearness  of  thought  and  a  happy 
purity  and  sweetness  of  expression,  and  never  partook  of 
severity  towards  any  sect.  His  delivery  was  not  impassioned  ; 
but  gentle,  persuasive,  and  winning.  These  qualities  gave 
him  a  high  standing  in  the  denomination." 

In  a  brief  notice  in  the  Trumpet  of  March  19  of  this  year, 
of  Governor  Benjamin  Pierce,  of  Hillsboro',  N.H.,  he  men- 
tions the  following  fact :  "  The  Governor  was  a  noble-minded 
man,  —  open,  free,  candid,  who  would  not  have  hid  his  relig- 
ion from  the  world  for  all  the  persecution  that  bigots  could 
bring  upon  him.  His  house  was  often  —  indeed,  so  far  as 
his  wishes  were  concerned,  always  —  open  to  the  preachers  of 
our  glorious  faith.  On  one  occasion,  Rev.  Sebastian  Streeter 
preached  in  Hillsboro'.  Governor  Pierce  had  some  friends 
of  distinction  at  his  house  ;  and  the  Universalists,  we  believe, 
were  to  hold  their  meeting  in  a  hall.  The  Governor  attended 
sen-ice  with  the  Universalists.  The  preacher  said  to  him, 
'  Governor,  I  did  not  know  that  I  should  see  you  here  to-day, 
as  3^ou  have  distinguished  visitors  at  your  house.'  '  Sir,'  said 

16 


242  MKMOIR   OF 

the  Governor,  '  I  serve  my  God  first  of  all,  and  my  fellow- 
men  afterward.'  This  was  a  case  of  living  up  to  the  dictates 
of  conscience  which  ought  not  to  be  lost  upon  us." 

The  May  Anniversary  meetings  come  again,  and  Mr. 
Whittemore  makes  a  full  and  fair  record  of  them.  A  spirited 
Home  Missionar}-  meeting  was  held  on  Tuesday  at  School 
Street  church.  The  Reform  Association  met  at  the  same 
place  on  Wednesday.  Reports  were  read,  —  one  by  Rev.  E. 
A.  Eaton,  on  Juvenile  Offenders,  and  another  by  Rev.  J.  S. 
Lee,  on  Temperance.  The  Massachusetts  Sabbath  School 
Association  also  held  its  session  on  Wednesday  afternoon  and 
evening.  Resolutions  on  Slavery  and  Peace  were  discussed 
and  passed  in  the  Reform  Association  meeting  on  Thursday 
morning. 

The  Festival  was  held  in  Faneuil  Hall  on  Thursday  after- 
noon. Mr.  Charles  F.  Eaton  presided,  and  made  a  pertinent 
and  stirring  opening  address.  Speeches  were  subsequently 
made  by  Revs.  Messrs.  L.  Willis,  John  Moore,  E.  H. 
Chapin,  T.  Whittemore,  A.  A.  Miner,  C.  H.  Fay,  J.  G. 
Adams,  and  others.  To  a  sentiment  offered  in  memory  of 
the  honored  Ballon,  Rev.  A.  A.  Miner  appropriately  and 
eloquently  responded.  Chapin  again  raised  and  thrilled  the 
assembly.  Mr.  Whittemore,  in  his  address,  gave  a  brief 
history  of  Faneuil  Hall  and  its  founder,  and  comprehensive 
notices  of  the  worthies  whose  forms  are  speaking  there  on 
the  painted  canvas.  In  conclusion,  he  raised  the  question, 
'•  Why  are  we,  the  Universalists,  in  Faneuil  Hall  to-day?  I 
reply,  we  come  here  by  permission  of  the  authorities  of  Bos- 
ton ;  and  I  wish  you  all  to  join  me  in  showing  thanks  to 
them  for  the  kindness  they  have  shown  us.  We  have 
properly  come  here  because  we  are  the  sons  of  libi-ity. 
We  ;ire  all  the  friends  of  independence;  we  seek  to  estab- 
lish spiritual  freedom ;  we  preach  a  truth  which  has  the 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  243 

power  to  set  men  free :  '  for  if  the  Son  shall  make  j'ou 
free,  3-011  shall  be  free  indeed.'  Let  it  be  known  on  this 
da}r,  that  John  Murray  used  to  preach  in  this  hall ;  the 
mysterious  winning  preacher,  who  first  turned  the  attention 
of  the  town  of  Boston  to  Universalism.  And  there  is  still 
another  reminiscence  which  belongs  to  this  place  :  Thomas 
Handyside  Peck,  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  friends  of  Mur- 
ray in  Boston,  lived  but  a  few  rods  to  the  south  of  us, 
between  Faneuil  -Hall  and  State  Street.  He  was  the  honored 
father  of  the  honored  mother  of  our  present  distinguished 
fellow-citizen,  Thomas  Handyside  Perkins,  who  once  in- 
formed me  that  his  mother  cherished  to  the  last  moments 
of  her  life  the  sentiments  she  derived  from  Murray.  AVe 
may  properly  meet  in  this  hall,  because  we  are,  or  ought  to 
be,  the  true  liberty  party.  What  right  should  we  have  to 
be  here  if  we  were  any  thing  else  ?  I  should  as  soon  expect 
to  see  a  body  of  British  tories  convened  in  this  hall  for  a 
festival,  as  a  gathering  of  men  who  are  not  of  the  go-ahead 
liberty  party.  Let  us  press  forward.  We  are  not  afraid  of 
light ;  let  us  see  all  there  is,  for  it  cannot  lead  us  wrong. 
Let  no  man  be  cramped  or  hoodwinked.  We  drive  even  the 
horses  now  without  blinders.  We  must  aim  to  progress  :  we 
must  go  on  unto  perfection." 

He  notices  Rev.  Theodore  Parker  again  in  the  Trumpet  of 
July  2,  and  objects  strongly  to  what  he  considers  the  deistical 
sentiments  of  Mr.  Parker.  In  a  notice  of  two  sermons  pub- 
lished by  him,  Mr.  Whittemore  speaks  of  the  statement  made 
in  one  of  them  that  Christ  taught  the  doctrine  of  eternal  pun- 
ishment. "I  am  read}-  to  believe,"  sa}-s  Mr.  Parker,  "that 
Jesus  taught,  as  I  think,  eternal  torment."  Mr.  Whittemore 
sa}-s  :  "  Christ  taught  nothing  of  the  kind,  and  it  is  strange 
that  Mr.  Parker  knew  no  better.  There  is  not  a  passage  in 
either  of  the  evangelists  which  when  properly  interpreted  will 


244  MEMOIR  OF 

show  that  Christ  taught  eternal  torment,  but  the  contrary. 
We  are  astonished  at  Mr.  Parker's  statement.  He  tells  some 
truths ;  he  utters  some  apt  sa3'ings ;  but  he  is  sadly  out  of 
the  way  in  his  opinion  of  Christ's  sajings." 

He  thus  notices  the  departure  by  death  of  the  distinguished 
Baptist  divine  of  Boston,  Rev.  Daniel  Sharp,  D.U. :  "  Our 
venerable  neighbor  and  friend  whom  we  ah1  so  deeply  loved, 
is  gone !  We  shall  see  him  no  more  on  earth.  Dr.  Sharp 
was  a  Baptist ;  but,  whatever  he  was  in  his  ecclesiastical 
associations,  there  was  one  thing  in  him  which  rose  above 
every  thing  else, — he  was  a  Christian.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  dignified,  urbane,  and  remarkable  of  our  city  preachers. 
No  one  could  see  Dr.  Sharp  pass,  even  if  a  perfect  stranger, 
without  being  prompted  to  ask,  who  is  that?  Ease  and  dig- 
nity were  beautifully  combined  in  him.  No  man  could  be 
more  meek ;  none  more  respectful  of  the  rights  of  others. 
We  had  occasion  once  to  address  him  by  epistle  on  the  sub- 
ject of  baptism,  making  certain  inquiries  we  desired  to  have 
answered.  We  shall  never  forget  the  tenderness,  cordiality, 
and  respectful  character  of  his  reply.  It  added  strength  to 
the  conviction  we  had  before,  that  he  was  a  true  man." 

Tuesda}-,  July  19,  was  a  day  long  to  be  remembered  by 
the  friends  of  Tufts  College.  The  corner-stone  of  the  first 
edifice  was  laid,  with  appropriate  religious  services,  on  the 
forenoon  of  this  day.  Mr.  Whittemore  thus  records  it :  "A 
special  train  left  Boston  at  nine  o'clock.  On  arriving  at  the 
hill,  it  was  found  that  Mr.  Yale,  of  Boston,  had  spread  a  very 
large  awning,  under  which  seats  had  been  prepared  for  the 
ladies.  Three  American  ensigns  floated  from  the  top,  at 
proper  distances  from  the  canvas,  and  equidistant  from  each 
other.  A  part  of  the  walls  of  the  college  had  been  built,  and 
a  section  of  the  freestone  laid,  at  one  of  the  corners,  some 
fifteen  feet  in  height.  The  day  was  delightful,  the  tent 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  245 

screened  the  people  from  the  rays  of  the  sun,  and  no  one 
suffered  from  heat.  The  people  kept  coming  until  the  services 
were  half  through ;  and  we  are  confident  that  there  were 
upwards  of  a  thousand  present ;  some  thought  fifteen  hundred, 
or  two  thousand.  There  was  a  great  crowd." 

At  a  quarter-past  ten  the  sen-ices  commenced.  Mr.  Whit- 
temore  ( Vice-President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees)  presided,  in 
absence  of  the  President,  Dr.  Oliver  Dean.  The  Scriptures 
were  read  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Greenwood,  and  praj-er  was  offered 
l>y  Rev.  H.  Bacon.  Two  original  hymns  were  sung:  one  by 
Mrs.  X.  T.  Munroe,  the  other  by  Mrs.  Mary  T.  Goddard. 
Rev.  A.  A.  Miner  delivered  the  address ;  Rev.  H.  Ballou, 
D.D.,  President  of  the  College,  laid  the  corner-stone;  Rev. 
W.  H.  Ryder  offered  the  concluding  prayer,  and  gave  the 
benediction.  Social  greetings  were  enjoj-ed  by  the  multitude 
after  these  sen-ices  were  ended. 

To  one  of  the  stale  jokes  on  Uuiversalists  about  their  views 
of  the  devil,  Mr.  Whittemore  deems  it  his  duty  to  apply  in 
answer  a  brief  editorial  admonition  :  "  We  said,  two  or  three 
weeks  since,  that  we  were  about  to  publish  a  sermon  of  our 
own  writing,  from  the  text,  '  Resist  the  devil  and  he  will  flee 
from  3~ou.'  On  this  the  editor  of  the  Cambridge  Chronicle 
(printed  in  the  city  where  we  dwell)  remarks  :  — 

"  '  The  editor  of  the  Trumpet  notifies  his  readers  that  he  is 
to  publish  one  of  his  own  sermons,  from  the  text,  "  Resist  the 
devil  and  he  will  flee  from  you."  Brother  Whittemore.  we 
think,  must  have  received  some  new  light ;  for  we  have  alwavs 
supposed,  from  the  tone  of  his  paper,  that  there  was  no  devil 
to  resist.  We  would  suggest  whether  it  would  not  be  better 
to  wait  till  cooler  weather ;  for  fleeing  from  old  Cloven-foot 
about  these  days  would  be  dreadfully  hot.'" 

The  Trumpet  editor  reph'es :  "We  have  seen  no  new  light 
on  the  subject  referred  to.  It  is  the  editor  of  the  Chronicle 


246  MEMOIR    OF 

who  needs  the  new  light.  He  says  he  always  supposed  we 
held  that  there  is  no  devil  to  resist.  Therein  he  was  in  dark- 
ness, for  we  never  held  any  such  thing.  He  then  suggests 
that  we  had  better  wait  for  cooler  weather,  '  for  fleeing  from 
old  Cloven-foot  about  these  da3*s  would  be  dreadfully  hot.' 
Fleeing !  We  said  not  one  word  about  fleeing  from  him.  A 
droll  waj*,  indeed,  would  it  be  to  resist  the  devil  by  running 
away  from  him.  When  the  Irish  soldier  boasted  that  his 
regiment  made  a  glorious  resistance  to  the  enemy,  he  was 
asked  how  they  did  it.  '  Och,  upon  my  soul,  sir,  we  run 
away  from  them.'  The  Chronicle  is  evidently  confused  in  its 
ideas." 

A  subscriber  desired  an  expression  of  his  opinions  on  spir- 
itualism, as  his  mind  was  much  exercised  on  the  subject,  which 
was  eliciting  so  much  attention  at  that  time.  Mr.  Whittemore 
very  readily  and  candid  1}'  replied :  "  The  truth  is,  we  have  no 
knowledge  to  communicate.  If  we  turn  to  our  own  experi- 
ence on  the  subject,  we  find  that  it  has  been  very  small.  No 
spirits  ever  appeared  to  us,  either  good  or  evil.  We  have 
heard  very  little  of  the  rappings,  and  seen  very  little  of  the 
writings.  We  have  put  ourself  in  the  way  of  getting  knowl- 
edge, but  it  did  not  come.  We  have  been  to  see  those  who 
were  called  good  mediums ;  but  it  happened,  unfortunately, 
that,  whenever  we  were  present,  the  manifestations  were  not 
as  they  were  said  to  have  been  at  other  times. 

"  But  we  are  far  from  saying  that  the  whole  matter  is  a  de- 
ception. We  have  no  doubt  that  many  honest  people  believe 
in  the  spiritual  manifestations.  We  do  not  believe  that  these 
persons  are  all  dishonest  who  profess  to  have  held  communion 
with  the  spirits.  That  there  may  have  been  artful  and  de- 
signing men  and  women  engaged  in  these  matters  who  have 
professed  things  not  true,  we  have  no  doubt ;  and  the  same 
fact  is  true  in  regard  to  religion.  Men  are  hypocrites  in  re- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  247 

ligion  who  profess  much  that  is  not  true  ;  but  we  do  not  con- 
demn all  religion  on  that  account.  It  is  going  too  far  to  say 
that  all  who  profess  to  have  held  communion  with  spirits  are 
dishonest.  But,  let  it  be  remembered,  it  does  not  prove  that 
the  spirits  of  the  departed  produce  the  rappings  merely  be- 
cause honest  persons  sometimes  think  so  ;  for  honest  persons 
are  sometimes  in  error. 

••We  are  waiting  for  light ;  but  perhaps  we  shall  not  get  it 
in  this  world.  There  are  man}'  mysteries  yet  to  be  revealed. 
Perhaps,  in  the  course  of  future  examinations,  it  will  be  proved 
that  the  spirit-rappings,  so  called,  are  produced  by  natural 
causes  now  unknown  to  men.  While  the  subject  remains  in 
so  much  doubt,  we  suggest  to  all  to  cultivate  charity.  No 
one  has  yet  obtained  perfect  satisfaction  on  either  side ;  and 
those  who  are  the  most  confident  in  their  assertions  are,  per- 
haps, least  to  be  depended  upon.  We  say  again,  then,  culti- 
vate charity.  '  Let  ever}*  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own 
mind.' " 

The  thirteenth  session  of  the  Rockingham  Association  was 
held  this  year  in  Atkinson,  N.H.  The  attendance  was  good. 
A  funeral  discourse  on  the  death  of  Captain  John  Bassett,  of 
Atkinson,  was  delivered  on  the  morning  of  the  first  day  by 
Rev.  T.  J.  Greenwood.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  a  spirited 
discourse  on  the  last  afternoon  to  a  large  audience.  A  social 
conference  in  the  evening  closed  the  session. 

On  the  Sabbath  succeeding  this  meeting  of  the  Association, 
Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  the  pulpit  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chapin's 
church,  in  New  York  city.  The  day  seems  to  have  been  one 
of  much  enjoyment  to  him.  On  Monda}-,  he  had  a  very 
agreeable  meeting  with  his  ministering  brethren  and  others, 
at  the  Ambassador  office,  in  New  York.  He  afterwards  visited 
the  Crystal  Palace,  and  gives  a  very  full  account  of  his  ob- 
servations there,  in  his  paper. 


248  MEMOIR    OF 

A  new  book  appears  at  this  time  from  the  pen  of  Dr. 
Edward  Beecher,  of  Boston  ;  son  of  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher,  and 
pastor  of  one  of  the  orthodox  churches  in  the  city.  It  is  en- 
titled, "  The  Conflict  of  Ages  ;  or,  the  Great  Debate  on  the 
Moral  Relations  of  God  and  Man."  The  author  of  the  work, 
finding  himself  unable  to  defend  the  doctrine  of  endless 
punishment  on  the  old  grounds,  has,  in  this  work,  sought  out 
a  new  way  of  doing  it.  Mr.  Whittemore,  in  an  editorial 
article  of  some  length,  reviews  the  work.  We  present  a  few 
extracts  from  it.  Speaking  of  its  author,  he  says:  "He 
maintains  that  orthodox}*,  as  it  has  been  taught,  has  been 
like  a  steamer,  the  wheels  of  which  revolve  in  opposite  direc- 
tions, the  pilot  of  which,  therefore,  cannot  control  it,  and 
which  does  nothing  but  sail  in  a  circle.  He  affirms  that  there 
is  a  constant  theological  conflict  between  the  different  parts 
of  the  orthodox  creed,  and  between  different  schools  of  their 
divines  :  that  the  principles  of  honor  and  right  in  man  are  the 
same  in  nature  as  the  same  principles  in  God ;  that  God  is 
bound  by  these  principles  ;  that  if  God  gave  existence  to  men 
•with  a  nature  radically  depraved  and  corrupt  anterior  to  any 
desire  or  choice  of  their  own,  with  full  power  to  do  evil  and 
none  to  do  good,  and  then  placed  them  under  the  all-pen-ad- 
ing  influences  of  corrupt  social  systems ;  and,  in  addition  to 
all  this,  subjected  them  to  the  tremendous  and  delusive  power 
of  malignant  spirits,  fearfully  skilled  in  the  work  of  develop- 
ing, maturing,  and  confirming  original  native  depravity,  —  if 
God  did  this,  we  cannot  (says  Dr.  Beecher)  say  that  he  has 
fulfilled  towards  his  creatures  the  demands  of  honor  and 
right,  as  these  principles  have  been  implanted  in  ourselves  by 
him. 

"  Here,  then,  is  the  conflict.  Orthodox}',  as  it  has  been 
taught,  outrages  our  moral  sense  :  it  is  opposed  to  the  sense 
of  honor  and  right  which  God  has  given  us.  Orthodoxy 


THOMAS   WHJTTEMORE.  249 

teaches  us  to  love  our  enemies,  and  yet  teaches  us  that  God 
hates  them.  Thus  one  wheel  of  the  steamboat  revolves  in 
one  direction,  and  the  other  in  the  opposite,  and  therefore  the 
vessel  cannot  go  ahead.  So  with  orthodoxy :  it  cannot  go 
ahead ;  it  cannot  prosper.  Orthodox  sects  may  advance, 
build  churches,  multiply  numbers ;  but  the  dogmas,  the 
creeds,  remain  the  same  confused  mass,  confusing  all  who 
seek  to  understand  or  to  explain  them.  Such  is  the  CONFLICT 
which  Dr.  Edward  Beecher  has  developed." 

Mr.  Whittemore  goes  on  to  show  that  this  conflict  which 
Dr.  Beecher  has  just  discovered,  was  seen  and  described  by 
Universalists  long  ago ;  that  all  the  principal  advocates  of 
our  faith  have  taken  a  similar  view  with  him  of  its  contradic- 
tions and  absurdities.  He  says,  again  :  "  Dr.  Beecher's  book 
has  grown  up  out  of  the  conviction  on  his  part,  that  orthodox}' 
must  be  readjusted,  or  else  the  world  will  take  refuge  in  Uni- 
versalism.  It  gives  to  orthodoxy  the  severest  blow  it  has 
ever  had,  considering  the  quarter  from  whence  it  comes.  The 
family  of  Beechers  are  doing  a  great  work  in  renovating  the 
old  C'alvinistic  creed.  They  seem  to  be  digging  away  the  foun- 
dation of  orthodoxy.  The}-  inherit  the  propensities  from 
their  venerable  father,  who  was  himself  the  son  of  a  black- 
. smith  in  Connecticut,  and  who  has  learned  to  deal  many  a 
hard  blow.  Dr.  Lyinan  Beecher  departed  from  orthodoxy 
twenty- five  years  ago  in  several  important  respects.  We 
hope  the  good  work  will  go  on.  The  doctrine  of  endless 
misery  is  destined  to  fall.  It  is  a  horrid  doctrine,  and  must 
come  down.  It  is  the  Bastile  in  theology,  and  the  public  are 
shouting,  '  Raze  it  to  the  ground  !  Let  it  no  longer  disfigure 
the  fair  city  of  the  New  Jerusalem  ! ' ' 

The  Boston  Association  this  year  held  its  annual  session  in 
Danversport.  Mr.  "NVhittemore  was  chosen  Moderator.  The 
Occasional  Sermon  was  delivered  by  Rev.  T.  B.  Thayer. 


250  MEMOIR    OF 

Mr.  AVhittemore  preached  on  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day 
of  the  meeting.  The  clerk  of  the  session,  Rev.  C.  Damon, 
sa3Ts  of  the  discourse  :  "  The  preacher  took  for  his  text.  Acts 
xvii.  18  :  '  He  preached  unto  them  Jesns  and  the  resurrection.' 
And  that  which  the  apostle  preached  unto  others  was  on  this 
occasion  preached  faithfully  unto  us.  It  was  a  pure  Gospel 
sermon:  the  words "  spoken  to  us  were  spirit,  and  they  were 
life.  The  preacher  closed  his  discourse,  of  which  I  will  not 
attempt  an  epitome,  by  exhorting  his  brethren  in  the  ministry 
not  only  to  preach  '  Jesus  and  the  resurrection,'  but  to  take 
heed  that  they  preach  the  same  '  Jesus  and  the  resurrec- 
tion' which  was  preached  by  the  apostles;  and  depart  not 
from  the  purity  of  the  Gospel  and  the  simplicity  that  is  in 
Christ." 

During  the  years  1851-54  much  controversy  was  carried 
on  respecting  the  doctrines  of  the  Divine  Sovereignty  and 
Human  Agency,  Future  Punishment,  and  No  Future  Punish- 
ment. Rev.  Messrs.  T.  J.  Sawyer,  J.  M.  Austin,  and  T.  Stan- 
King  were  among  the  principal  writers  in  advocacy  of  the 
doctrine  of  future  punishment,  and  Mr.  AVhittemore,  Rev.  I. 
D.  Williamson  and  others  of  those  who  denied  that  evidence 
existed  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  extension  of  punishment  into 
the  future  or  resurrection  state.  The  Universal  1st  Quarterly 
came  in  for  a  share  of  criticism  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  for  its  apparent  departure  from  the  "distinctive"  Uni- 
versalism  of  the  past.  The  controversialists  on  each  side 
were  keenly  alive  to  the  topics  in  hand,  and  there  wa-  even  a 
suggestion  that  a  new  paper  might  be  started  in  Boston  in 
advocacy  of  a  Universalism  that  would  give  more  prominence 
to  the  doctrines  of  human  agency  and  future  punishment.  In 
reference  to  such  a  movement,  Mr.  AVhittemore  writes : 
"We  merely  say.  that  as  \ve  conduct  the  Trumpet  according 
to  our  best  ability  and  our  conscientious  convictions  of  duty, 


THOMAS    WIIITTEMORE.  251 

and  as  we  defend  in  its  columns  -what  we  fully  believe,  we 
cannot  change  our  course,  even  if  fifty  new  papers  were 
threatened  to  be  set  up  alongside  of  us.  A  man  who  pub- 
lishes a  paper  merely  for  the  sake  of  a  part}'  is  worthy  only 
of  defeat.  We  cannot  change  our  course  until  God  changes 
our  opinions.  The  Bible,  and  the  Bible  .only,  has  made  us 
what  we  are.  If  the  old  Bible  should  be  withdrawn  by  proper 
authority,  and  a  new  one  be  set  up  in  its  place,  we  do  not 
know  what  might  then  happen;  but,  as  it  is,  we  must  walk 
in  the  good  old  way." l  The  new  paper,  however,  did  not 
appear. 

Mr.  Whittemore,  in  all  his  controversial  course,  manifested 
the  strongest  interest  in  contesting  the  doctrine  of  the  pun- 
ishment of  souls  after  death,  or  in  connection  with  their 
rising  into  the  future  life.  He  was  evidently  wedded  to  the 
opinions  of  the  elder  Hosea  Ballou  on  this  subject.  The  pro- 
fessed ground  of  his  objection  to  the  doctrine  of  future  pun- 
ishment was,  that  he  did  not  find  it  revealed  in  the  Scriptures. 
He  asked  for  the  passages  of  the  Bible  that  others  regarded 
as  evidences  of  it ;  and,  when  these  were  presented,  he  had 
another  explanation  of  them.  "When  questioned  philosophi- 
cally or  analogically  on  the  subject,  he  deemed  such  query- 
ings  of  little  consequence  compared  with  what  the  Scriptures 
affirmed.  His  views  were,  as  stated  by  himself  (in  1845)  : 
"1.  That  there  is  an  immortal  state  ;  2.  That  that  state  is  a 
happy  one  ;  and  3.  That  in  describing  the  resurrection  into 
that  state,  Jesus  and  the  authors  of  the  New  Testament 
books  speak  of  one  resurrection  for  all  men ;  it  is  the  resur- 
rection from  THE  DEAD.  What  it  is  to  me  it  is  to  all ;  all 
are  raised,  so  far  as  we  can  learn  from  the  sacred  writers,  to 
the  same  condition."  These  opinions  he  was  ever  ready  to 
maintain  through  his  ministry,  giving  no  countenance  to  the 
1  Trumpet,  Feb.  18,  1654. 


252  MEMOIR    OF 

doctrine  that  character  in  the  present  existence  could  atfect 
the  spiritual  life  in  the  future  beyond  death.  In  one  public 
utterance,  however,  recorded  as  having  been  made  by  him, 
he  thus  speaks  of  the  work  of  Christ  with  souls.  The  text 
was  1  Tim.  i.  5.  Alleging  that  Christ's  work  shall  go  on  to 
its  accomplishment,  he  said  :  "  But  when?  No  man  can  tell. 
Will  all  enter  heaven  when  they  die?  For  himself,  he  doubted 
whether  even  the  best  Christians  were  fitted  to  enter  at  once 
on  the  jo}*s  of  heaven.  He  would  speak  with  great  caution 
as  to  the  conditions  of  the  future  life,  immediately  succeeding 
the  present.  The  future,  he  believed,  would  be  an  advance 
for  all.  He  could  not  undertake  to  say  that  all  would  be 
equal  in  virtue  and  happiness.  He  had  been  greatly  misun- 
derstood on  this  point.  It  was  enough  for  him  to  feel  sure, 
beyond  all  doubt,  that  the  Universal  Father  will  for  ever  seek 
the  good  of  all."  *  This  was  coming  nearer  than  was  usual 
for  him  to  the  allowance  that  possibly  all  souls  would  have 
their  different  means,  spiritually  speaking,  of  entering  fully 
into  this  resurrection  life,  —  this  enjoyment  of  a  sinless  im- 
mortalit}'.  "The  conditions  of  the  future  life  immediately 
succeeding  the  present"  —  respecting  these  he  did  not  seem 
to  have  definite  opinions.  "The  future,  however,"  he  be- 
lieved, "  would  be  an  advance  for  ah1."  Precisely  what  his 
brethren  believers  in  future  punishment,  discipline,  or  in- 
struction would  affirm  as  their  convictions  respecting  the 
future  life. 

The  controvers}"  on  this  whole  subject  was  carried  on  for 
3'ears  with  great  abilit}',  in  which  Mr.  Whittemore's  opinions 
were  questioned  by  some  of  the  clearest  and  soundest  minds 
in  the  I'niversalirst  church.  And  they  are  questioned  still, 
and  will  be.  But  one  thing  is  to  be  remembered  to  his  credit 
touching  this  controversy. 

1  Quoted  by  Rev.  E.  G.  Brooks,  Universalist  Quarterly,  July,  1877. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  253 

Strongly  as  he  adhered  to  his  own  opinions  respecting  the 
future  life,  he  opposed  all  attempts  to  bring  alienation  of 
feeling  or  divisions  among  professing  Universalists  on  this 
account.  He  had  witnessed  in  the  early  days  of  his  min- 
istry what  he  regarded  as  an  unjust  division  caused  by  the 
Restorationists,  and  could  scarcely  free  himself  from  the 
effects  of  that  experience.  Yet  he  lived  on  terms  of  closest 
friendship  with  those  who  differed  widely  from  him  on  this 
point,  and  was  un3'ielding  in  his  convictions  and  affirmations 
that  all  were  to  be  accounted  as  Uuiversalists  who  believed 
in  the  great  saving  work  of  Christ  with  all  souls,  whatever 
their  differences  as  to  the  methods  by  which  they  might  enter 
upon  the  life  of  final  freedom  from  sin  and  its  effects. 

It  is  not,  of  course,  the  intent  of  the  writer  of  this  biogra- 
phy to  take  up  this  controversy  in  these  pages.  A  few 
fraternal  words,  however,  involving  both  sides  of  it,  may  not 
be  out  of  place.  Among  Uuiversalists,  the  leading  advocates  of 
the  doctrines  of  future  punishment  and  of  no  future  punishment 
have  been  equally  sincere  and  earnest  in  their  work  for  the  Gos- 
pel. Mr.  Whittemore,  in  his  wa}'  of  working,  was  apparently  as 
deeply  interested  in  the  religious  life  of  the  Universalist  Church 
as  was  Dr.  Ballou,  his  estimable  co-worker.  Their  conflicting 
opinions  in  reference  to  punishment  in  the  future  life  did  not 
lessen  their  anxiety  for  the  spiritual  advancement  of  the 
Church  which  they  both  so  worthily  represented.  The  same 
ma}'  be  said  of  others  whose  differences  of  opinion  were  in 
substance  the  same.  That  there  were  those  calling  them- 
selves U niversalists,  accepting  the  doctrine  of  an  instantaneous 
change  from  a  sinful  life  here  to  a  sinless  one  hereafter ;  and 
who,  regarding  all  sin  and  punishment  as  necessarily  connected 
with  the  body,  were  little  inclined  to  bestir  themselves  to  the 
work  of  religious  action  and  spiritual  life  here,  choosing  rather 
to  await  <he  *•  glorious  transition "  hereafter,  is  true;  and 


2")4  MEMOIR    OF 

that  such  were  often  a  reproach  to  the  cause  of  Universalism 
is  equally  true  ;  just  as  some  Calvinists,  deeming  themselves 
sure  of  future  salvation  by  God's  electing  grace,  have  con- 
tented themselves  with  a  kind  of  spiritual  apathy  in  respeet 
to  the  world's  present  religious  needs.  Such,  however,  are 
not  fair  representatives  of  any  living  Christianity.  Such  are 
not  of  Universalism.  That  always  signifies  present  spiritual 
life  and  salvation ;  never  puts  off  this  work ;  believes  and 
affirms  continually  that  obedience  is  its  own  reward,  and  that 
here  or  hereafter,  in  this  or  in  any  other  life  to  come,  the  one 
thing  needful  to  the  highest  realization  of  our  highest  spiritual 
being  is,  "  holiness  unto  the  Lord."  So  have  preached  in  the 
past,  and  so  preach  now,  all  true  believers  in  the  Universal- 
ism of  Jesus,  whether  they  confine  the  punishment  of  sin  to 
the  present  life,  or  extend  it  into  the  future.  Differ  as  truth- 
ful souls  ma}*,  and  do,  in  reference  to  time  or  eternity  wherein 
the  punishment  for  sin  shall  be  meted  out,  they  all  agree  to 
the  pre-eminent  need  of  that  greatest  of  all  inducements  to 
righteousness,  —  the  blessedness  of  the  righteous  life  itself ; 
the  inducement  which  Jesus  himself  had  to  do  the  will  of  his 
Father  ;  by  which  the  angels  that  "  excel  in  strength  "  above 
are  moved,  and  which  all  Christian  believers  will  more  and 
more  realize  to  be  the  true  one,  as  they  advance  in  the  Divine 
life  in  this  world,  or  in  any  other  which  they  may  enter. 
"  We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us."  The  words  in 
Francis  Xavier's  hymn  express  it :  — 

"  Then  why,  O  blessed  Jesus  Christ, 

Should  I  not  love  tliei-  well  .' 
Not  for  the  sake  of  winning  heaven, 
Or  of  escaping  hell. 

Not  for  the  hope  of  gaining  aught, 

Nor  seeking  a  reward ; 
But  as  thyself  hast  loved  me, 

U  ever-loving  Lord  !  " 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  255 

There  is  no  practical  Universalism  higher  than  this ;  there 
never  need  be.1 

The  dismissal  of  Professor  Maurice  from  King's  College, 
Cambridge,  England,  is  noticed  at  this  time  by  Mr.  Whitte- 
more.  He  says:  "  This  very  learned  gentleman  has  raised 
the  envy  of  his  inferiors  by  his  rare  talents,  and  roused  the 
fury  of  bigoted  Episcopalians  by  the  liberality  of  his  views. 
Dr.  Jelf,  the  Principal  of  the  College,  entertaining  fears  that 
the  Professor  had  doubts  of  the  strict  eternity  of  punishment, 
has  deposed  him.  It  is  not  certain  that  he  will  remain  de- 
posed ;  for  the  case  may  be  carried  into  higher  courts,  and 
the  sentence  of  Dr.  Jelf  be  reversed.  Professor  Maurice  is 
certainly  not  liable  to  expulsion  from  the  College  for  a  dis- 
belief of  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery.  That  doctrine  forms 
no  part  of  the  Thirty-nine  Articles,  if  we  may  believe  some 
of  the  most  reliable  authorities  of  the  English  Church.  Dr. 
Henry  More,  Dr.  Thomas  Burnett,  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  Arch- 
deacon Pale}',  John  He}',  Xorrissian  Professor  of  Divinity  at 
Cambridge,  England ;  Dr.  Thomas  Broughton,  Dr.  Thomas 
Newton,  Bishop  of  Bristol ;  James  Brown,  D.D.  ;  Rev. 
Francis  Leicester,  A.B.  ;  Rev.  John  Brown  of  Sidney  Sussex 
College  :  all  these  divines,  and  some  of  them  eminent  digni- 
taries of  the  Established  Church,  rejected  the  doctrine  of 

1  " '  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?  '  we  should  cause  it  to  be  understood, 
is  a  question  which  we  have,  every  one  of  us,  to  ask  with  profound  solici- 
tude. Not,  What  shall  I  do  to  insure  rescue  from  the  wrath  of  God 
and  perdition  in  hell? — as  one  is  rescued  from  deserved  hanging:,  or 
from  drowning;  but,  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  from  sin  and  its  dark- 
ness and  aliM-nre  from  God?  What  shall  I  do  to  become  pure,  unsdlish, 
Christ-like,  thoroughly  good,  superior  to  temptation,  and  growing  in 
freedom  from  sin?  This  is  the  grand  question — not  particularly  with 
reference  to  the  present,  not  particularly  with  reference  to  the  future; 
but  with  reference  to  the  everlasting  Now  in  which  we  are  always  liv- 
ing, and  always  shall  live,  and  because  holiness  alone  is  life,  and  any 
lack  of  harmony  with  God  is  spiritual  poverty,  death,  and  woe." — A'tv. 
E.  G.  Brooks,  D.D.,  in  "Our  Xew  Departure,"  p.  111. 


256  MEMOIR  OF 

endless  misen* ;  and  a  part  of  them  received  and  defended 
enthusiastically  the  doctrine  of  the  final  holiness  and  happi- 
ness of  all  men.  In  the  original  Forty-two  Articles  of  the 
Church  of  England,  the  doctrine  of  Universalism  was  con- 
demned ;  but  when  the  Articles  were  revised  in  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  and  reduced  to  thirty-nine,  the  condemnation  of 
Universalism.  was  omitted.  From  that  time  they  have  re- 
mained unchanged." 

He  speaks  of  his  much-loved  friend,  Rev.  Dr.  Ballou, 
President  of  Tufts  College,  now  on  the  eve  of  his  departure 
for  Europe.  "It  is  his  intention  to  visit  England  and  also 
the  Continent.  He  will  view  much  of  the  beautiful  scenery 
which  he  has  long  desired  to  feast  his  eyes  upon ;  and  like- 
wise make  himself  acquainted  with  whatever  it  ma}'  be  of 
interest  for  him  to  know  of  the  highest  literar}-  institutions  of 
England  and  Germany.  He  should  tarry  longer  than  two 
months  in  Europe,  especially  if  he  intends  to  ascend  to  the 
highest  peak  of  Mont  Blanc.  The  best  wishes  of  many 
thousands  of  true  friends  will  go  with  him." 

As  Anniversary  week  approaches,  the  Trumpet  sounds  a 
call  to  the  fraternity  to  come  to  the  Festival  at  that  time. 
"  The  entertainments  of  the  da\",  we  trust,  will  be  excellent 
both  for  the  outer  and  the  inner  man.  There  will  be  no  lack 
of  speakers  from  all  the  New  England  States,  New  York,  &c. 
Come  to  Faneuil  Hall,  —  come  to  the  Cradle  of  Liberty ; 
come  to  the  Annual  Festival  of  the  true-hearted ;  come  one, 
come  all !  and  years  hence  you  will  have  it  to  say,  '  I  was  at 
that  great  Universalist  Festival  in  Faueuil  Hall,  in  1854.' " 

Anniversary  week  came  ;  and,  taken  altogether,  it  was  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  ever  realized  in  Boston.  Let  Mr. 
\Vhittemore  describe  it :  '•  It  was  the  week  of  the  religious 
anniversaries,  when  almost  the  entire  .body  of  the  clergj-  of 
New  England,  ol'  all  sects,  were  in  Boston.  They  will  carry 


THOMAS    WIIITTEMORE.  257 

home  with  them,  and  infuse  into  the  hearts  of  their  parishion- 
ers, the  feeling  which  pervaded  our  city.  It  is  estimated  that 
there  were  two  thousand  clergymen  present  from  all  parts  of 
New  England.  They  came  to  consider  the  matters  which  re- 
spect the  different  denominations.  During  all  the  time  they 
have  been  here,  Boston  has  been  under  martial  law,  in  effect, 
for  the  purpose  of  awing  down  public  sentiment,  and  enabling 
one  Colonel  Suttle,  of  Alexandria,  Va.,  to  carry  off  one 
negro,  whom  he  claimed  to  own,  as  he  owns  his  horses  or  his 
swine.  This  lesson  has  been  taught  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
clergy  of  New  England ;  and  will  be  repeated  and  reiterated 
in  all  their  pulpits.  The  people  ever}"where  will  have  their 
story,  not  only  in  their  papers,  but  from  the  burning  lips  of 
their  pastors,  in  words  that  will  enter  their  hearts.  On  the 
very  spot  where  the  citizens  of  Boston  were  shot  down  by 
British  troops,  on  the  5th  of  March,  1770,  stood  the  hired 
soldiery  of  the  nation,  backed  up  by  the  military  companies 
of  Boston,  with  guns  loaded  and  ba}'onets  fixed,  to  murder 
the  men  and  women  of  Boston,  if  they  did  not  permit  Colonel 
Suttle  to  drag  away  his  negro.  A  description  of  this  event 
will  go  to  even*  part  of  the  land.  There  could  not  have  been 
a  more  favorable  time  for  educating  the  people  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  quickening  the  Northern  pulse." 

The  Festival  at  Faneuil  Hall  was  all  that  Mr.  "NVhittemore 
had  anticipated,  and  more.  One  thousand  were  at  the  tables. 
Hon.  Francis  B.  Fa}'  presided.  Addresses  were  made  by 
Rev.  Messrs.  Ryder,  King,  Whittemore,  Laurie,  Eaton, 
Mellen.  and  Maxhaui ;  and  B.  B.  Mussey  and  P.  H.  Sweetser, 
of  the  laity.  The  atmosphere  was  surcharged  with  the  spirit 
of  aggression  against  the  Fugitive-slave  Law.  A  few  timid 
ones  expressed  the  hope  that  no  allusions  would  be  made  to 
the  out-of-door  excitement ;  but  they  might  as  well  have  ex- 
pected utter  indifference  on  the  part  of  a  multitude  feeling  the 

17 


258  MEMOIR   OF 

throes  of  an  earthquake  beneath  them.  Mr.  Whittcmore's 
speech  was  full  of  it.  He  spoke  of  the  press  and  its  great 
influence  ;  of  the  present  gathering  and  its  fraternal  signifi- 
cance ;  and  then  of  Faneuil  Hall,  "where  liberty  was  once 
rocked,  but  where  it  would  never  go  to  sleep  !  "  What  followed 
was  to  have  been  expected. 

"  Sir,  I  have  thought  much  of  Faneuil  Hall  during  this 
week  of  excitement.  How  can  we  get  through  the  da}-  with- 
out speaking  of  the  violation  of  the  moral  sense  of  the  com- 
munity which  has  been  realized  ?  Sir,  as  I  was  coming  from 
Cambridge  this  morning,  I  met  one  of  my  good  neighbors 
who  said  to  me,  '  Now,  Brother  Whittemore,  you  will  n<  t  say 
any  thing  about  the  Fugitive-slave  Law  in  Faneuil  Hall  to- 
day?' Said  I,  'My  friend,  I  do  not  know  as  I  shall  speak 
at  the  hall ;  but  if  I  do,  I  promise  }'ou  in  regard  to  the  Fugi- 
tive-slave Law,  that  I  shall  not  say  one  word  in  favor  of  it.' 
Sir,  how  can  we  avoid  speaking  of  it?  We  are  thinking  of 
it,  and  we  should  all  of  us  be  monuments  of  falsehood  if  we 
did  not  speak.  I  am  not  in  favor  of  the  mob  spirit ;  I  coun- 
sel not  treason ;  I  lament  the  blood  which  has  been  shed ; 
but  I  cannot  respect  the  Fugitive-slave  Law.  God  giant 
that  it  may  soon  be  blotted  from  the  statute-book.  It  does 
the  South  no  good  ;  in  matters  of  property,  it  has  not  been 
one  dime's  advantage  to  them ;  and  it  is  only  an  irritation  to 
the  North, — a  source  of  pain,  disquiet,  and  agitation.  I 
can  have  some  kind  of  respect  for  the  government  ollk-ials 
who  seek  to  enforce  the  law,  if  they  only  do  the  business 
judiciously ;  but  I  have  none  for  the  man  who  comes  slave- 
hunting,  or  those  who  volunteer  to  assist  him  in  his  busi- 
ness." 

After  a  witty  and  sarcastic  allusion  to  Mr.  Suttle,  compar- 
ing him  with  the  serpent  mentioned  in  connection  with  the 
Garden  of  Eden,  he  proceeds  :  — 


THOMAS    WH1TTEUORE.  259 

"But  I  turn  once  more  to  Faneuil  Hall.  It  is  a  glorious 
place.  Sir,  our  affections  will  cluster  around  it  as  long  as 
we  live.  But  if  this  place  be  glorious,  what  shall  we  say 
respecting  the  Court  House  to  the  county  of  Suffolk?  It  has 
been  made  a  Bastile,  a  prison.  It  is  not  owned  by  the 
United  States,  but  by  the  county  of  Suffolk  ;  and  the  United 
States  government  have  hired  three  or  four  rooms  in  it,  not 
for  the  purpose  of  a  prison,  but  for  the  holding  of  their 
Courts.  Henceforth  that  building  will  be  as  infamous  in  the 
history  of  our  country  as  Faneuil  Hall  is  glorious.  It  is  less 
diflicult  for  me  to  respect  the  officers  of  justice,  who  were 
called  on  to  perform  a  legal  duty,  than  the  men  who  volun- 
teered in  the  business,  or  engaged  in  it  for  the  sake  of  gold. 
I  counsel  no  mobs,  no  treason  ;  but  I  am  not  obliged  to 
respect  a  slave-catcher ;  and  least  of  all  am  I  obliged  to 
respect  a  man  who,  for  gold  or  for  any  other  reward,  volun- 
teers his  aid  in  such  a  cause. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  a  man  who  comes  forward  at  his  peril, 
and  neither  for  gold  nor  honor,  but  for  the  sake  of  humanity, 
offers  to  defend  a  poor  stranger,  a  negro,  claimed  as  a  slave, 
who  is  read}*  to  do  every  thing  that  can  be  legally  done  to 
save  him,  I  honor  that  lawyer ;  and  such  a  man  is  Richard 
H.  Dana,  Jr.,  Esq.  (Intense  cheering.)  Honor  to  him  and 
honor  to  his  colleague  in  this  duty  !  Sir.  their  labors  were 
unavailing ;  but  a  grateful  public  will  not  forget  them. 
Kit-hard  H.  Dana  is  the  honored  grandson  of  Chief  Justice 
Dana,  who  was  on  the  bench  of  the  Supreme  Court  at  the 
time  the  great  case  of  John  Murray  against  the  First  Parish 
in  Gloucester  was  decided.  It  was  the  first  case  under  the 
Third  Article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights  of  the  Constitution  of 
1780, — the  first  construction  of  that  Article,  and  was  alto- 
gether in  favor  of  Murray,  and  of  religious  liberty.  But.  Mr. 
Chairman,  I  have  spoken  too  long.  Let  us  do  all  we  can  in 


260  MEMOIR    OF 

a  legal  and  honorable  way  to  prevent  the  repetition  of  the 
odious  scenes  which  our  eyes  have  beheld  the  past  week. 
Spare  us,  spare  our  wives  and  children,  such  excitement. 
Let  us  petition  Congress  to  repeal  the  law  ;  and  let  us  do  all 
we  can  as  good  citizens,  prudent  men  and  Christians,  to  save 
our  good  old  Commonwealth  from  the  disgrace  under  which 
it  lies." 

A  letter  from  Rev.  Theodore  Clapp,  of  New  Orleans,  to 
Mr.  TVhittemore,  appeared  in  his  paper  of  July  8,  in  which 
certain  queries  proposed  by  Mr.  "\Vhittemore  respecting 
slavery  are  answered.  Mr.  Clapp  was  an  able  preacher  of 
Universalism  in  the  South,  and  was  supposed  to  have  strong 
S3*mpathy  with  the  Southerners  in  reference  to  their  "  peculiar 
institution."  Mr.  Clapp's  reply  was  very  candid  and  hopeful. 
He  stated  in  his  letter  that  the  most  prominent  and  influential 
men  of  the  South  with  whom  he  had  conversed  on  the  subject 
had  expressed  their  opinion  that  slavery  would  in  the  order 
of  God's  providence  come  to  an  end.  The  following  passage 
from  his  letter  is  worth}'  of  a  place  in  these  pages  :  — 

"A  year  or  two  before  his  death,  Hon.  John  C.  Calhoun 
spent  several  weeks  in  New  Orleans.  I  saw  him  often,  and 
had  lengthy  conversations  with  him  on  the  subject  of  slavery. 
Do  you  know  that  he  was  a  decided  Universalist  ?  He  said 
that  it  was  a  sufficient  refutation  of  the  doctrine  of  endless 
misery,  that  it  is  incomprehensible  ;  for  a  righteous  law-giver 
would  never  ordain  a  penalty  which  his  subjects  could  not 
understand.  On  one  occasion  he  spoke  to  me  in  nearly  the 
following  words:  'Slavery  cannot  live  long  in  the  United 
States.  It  will  have  run  its  race  by  the  end  of  the  next  one 
hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred  years.  Slave  labor  is  too 
expensive  to  last  long.  According  to  an  eternal  law  of 
heaven,  in  the  long  run  the  most  expensive  and  unpropitious 
forms  of  labor  must  be  everywhere  superseded  by  the  least 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  261 

costly  and  most  efficient.'  The  good  rising  above  the  evil : 
this  is  the  philosophy.  The  Hon.  Henry  Clay,  when  in  New 
Orleans,  expressed  to  me  the  same  opinion  with  Mr.  Calhoun 
concerning  the  end  of  slavery,  and  also  the  duration  of  future 
punishment.  I  wish  I  had  space  to  tell  you  what  he  said 
about  the  Parable  of  Dives  and  Lazarus.  The  whole  South 
are  kept  from  espousing  the  cause  of  Liberal  Christianity, 
partly  through  the  fear  that  it  involves  ultra-abolitionism." 

In  noticing  an  accusation,  in  an  orthodox  journal,  that  Uni- 
tarians as  a  sect  are  running  down,  Mr.  Whittemore  says : 
' '  We  leave  our  Unitarian  brethren  to  defend  themselves  in 
regard  to  this  matter.  We  affirm,  if  the  orthodox  flourish  as 
a  sect,  their  religion  is  dying  out  as  a  principle.  Where  is 
the  orthodoxy  of  the  past  century?  Gone.  Where  is  the 
orthodox}-  of  President  Edwards  ?  Gone,  irrecoverably  gone. 
The  orthodox}-  of  the  Beechers,  of  Bushnell,  of  Dr.  Park,  of 
Amherst  and  Andover,  is  not  the  orthodoxy  of  Griffin  and 
his  associates.  As  a  principle,  orthodoxy  is  trimming  itself 
to  the  state  of  the  times.  The  Old  South  stands  where  it  did 
a  hundred  years  ago ;  and  Park  Street  rests  on  its  first  foun- 
dations :  but  do  the  people  who  worship  in  those  places 
believe  as  they  used  to  ?  No :  many  of  those  persons  are 
known  to  believe  in  Universalism,  if  their  own  private  con- 
fessions may  be  relied  on.  Their  assent  to  the  creed  is  me- 
chanical, formal,  with  great  mental  reservation ;  and  is  no 
more  to  be  taken  as  a  proof  of  real  faith  on  their  part,  than 
the  confession  of  Galileo  was  a  true  index  of  his  faith  when 
he  renounced  the  doctrine  of  the  earth's  diurnal  revolution. 
His  mental  reservation  was,  '  It  moves  still.'  And  so  the 
mental  reservation  of  many  persons  may  be  greatly  unlike 
their  creeds.  How  can  the  people  be  expected  to  believe 
these  creeds,  when  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  the  priests 
believe  them  themselves  ?  " 


262  MEMOIR    OF 

In  September,  Mr.  Whittemore  attended  the  United  States 
Convention  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  called  to  speak  on  sev- 
eral public  occasions  during  the  session,  and  makes  a  very 
spirited  report  of  the  Convention's  doings  in  the  Trumpet. 
He  also  administers  a  proper  reproof  to  a  Philadelphia 
newspaper  editor  who  undertook  to  criticise  the  Occasional 
Sermon  before  the  Convention  by  Rev.  T.  B.  Thayer.  The 
sermon  was  very  timely  and  acceptable  to  most  of  the  hearers 
of  it. 

He  visits  East  Kingston,  N.H.,  in  October.  Services  are 
held  on  the  Sabbath  in  the  church  there.  He  seems  to  have 
realized  great  enjoyment  in  them.  "  The  day  was  warm  and 
clear,  and  the  attendance  greater  than  we  had  expected.  In 
the  afternoon,  chairs  were  brought  in  from  the  houses  near  and 
placed  in  the  aisles.  We  preached  the  Gospel  as  revealed  in 
the  word  of  God, — plain,  unadulterated,  Scripture  truth. 
The  people  drank  it  in  as  a  thirsty  man  receives  cold  water. 
It  was  upwards  of  twenty  years  since  we  had  preached  in 
that  house.  We  remembered  the  da}'s  that  were  gone." 

On  Saturdaj',  Oct.  21,  he  went  to  Warren,  Mass.,  a  town 
upon  the  Western  Railroad,  seventy-three  miles  west  of  Bos- 
ton. He  had  engaged  to  preach  there  on  Sunday.  The  day 
was  clear,  the  audience  large,  and  he  seemed  in  his  usual 
health  and  spirits.  While  engaged  in  the  services  of  the  fore- 
noon, he  perceived  that  his  left  hand  was  numb.  In  a  moment 
more  he  found  that  the  feeling  of  numbness  was  increasing 
upon  him  ;  and  a  sense  of  insecurit}-  came  over  him,  which 
caused  him  to  be  on  his  guard  that  he  might  not  fall.  In  this 
way  he  went  through  the  services  of  the  forenoon  and  brought 
them  to  a  close.  He  came  down  from  the  desk  with  some 
little  dilliculty.  and  informed  his  friend  with  whom  he  tarried 
of  his  condition.  A  carriage  was  proffered  to  take  him  to 
his  quarters,  but  he  thought  walking  would  be  beneficial. 


THOlfAS    WHITTEMORE.  263 

The  hour  of  the  afternoon  service  having  arrived,  he  again 
•went  to  church,  against  the  suggestions  of  some  of  his  friends, 
but  he  said  he  should  persevere.  He  thought  a  "  pulpit 
sweat"  would  be  a  benefit.  He  was  secretly  aware  that  he 
might  die  in  the  pulpit  before  the  sen-ice  should  close ;  but 
he  would  be  no  more  likely  to  die  in  preaching  than  in  sitting 
still.  If  God  saw  fit  he  should  die  in  the  pulpit,  he  could  only 
say  Amen.  He  went  to  the  church,  therefore,  and  conducted 
the  services  through  to  the  end,  preaching  one  hour  from 
John  iii.  36.  At  the  close  of  the  service,  physicians  (Drs.  "\Var- 
riner  and  Carpenter)  were  called,  who  rendered  all  the  assist- 
ance in  their  power,  attempting  by  depletion  to  remove  the 
cause  of  the  disease.  On  Monda^y  morning,  Sullivan  Cowee, 
Esq.,  attended  him  to  the  cars,  and  thence  to  his  own  home 
in  C'anibridgeport.  He  was  confined  to  his  chamber  for  some 
weeks,  when  his  feebleness  gradually  left  him,  and  he  was 
able  to  resume  his  duties  as  usual. 

He  thus  accounts  for  his  illness,  in  answer  to  the  expressed 
solicitude  of  friends  in  his  behalf :  ' '  All  our  brethren  sup- 
pose that  the  attack  was  brought  on  by  too  much  labor. 
If  we  allow  this,  —  although  there  might  have  been  other 
causes,  —  we  then  ask,  what  kind  of  labor  is  most  deleteri- 
ous ?  That  we  have  done  a  great  task  during  the  last  ten 
months  is  undoubted.  The  labors  that  tax  the  mind  are  the 
hardest  to  bear,  and  the  most  destructive  to  the  nervous 
energy.  To  us  it  seems  singular  people  should  suppose  that 
attention  to  a  kind  of  business  which  is  almost  a  relaxation, 
—  that  a  daily  walk  to  the  depots  in  Boston  and  Charlestown, 
and  a  journey  once  a  week  to  Fitchburg,  or  Brattleboro,  or 
Greenfield,  or  some  other  place,  would  bring  on  a  paralysis. 
No,  it  is  the  working  of  the  mind —  the  pushing  of  the  pen  ; 
the  searching  after  materials  and  facts,  and  the  painful  duty 
of  reading  proofs  that  has  done  it.  What  part  of  our  duties, 


264  MEMOIR    OF 

then,  shall  we  strike  off?  Do  our  advisers  say,  give  up  the 
Trumpet  ?  write  no  more  books  ?  No ;  but  they  call  on  us 
to  give  up  that  which  affects  the  mind  the  least  injuriously  of 
all.  We  are  willing  to  subsist  on  scanty  food,  to  walk  five 
miles  per  day,  all  of  which  we  can  do  ;  but  we  cannot  resign 
our  labors  for  the  Trumpet  and  the  cause  of  Universalism. 
To  resign  the  latter  labors  will  excite  us  more  than  to  per- 
form them.  Our  thanks  to  all  who  have  tendered  us  their 
advice." 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  265 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

1854-1857. 
AGED   54-57. 

Tufts  College  —  Dr.  W.  E.  Charming  —  Rev.  John  Moore  —  A  Friend's 
Approval  —  Wesleyan  Methodists  —  A  Correspondent  —  Professor 
Stuart  —  Unitarians  and  Parkerisra  —  Mr.  Clark's  Telescope  —  Anni- 
versary Week  —  Festival;  Mr.  Whittemore's  Speech  —  Installation 
of  Rev.  H.  Jewell  —  Revivals  under  Edwards  and  Whitfield  —  Un- 
qualified preachers —  Opening  of  Tufts  College  —  Mr.  Whittemore's 
Address  —  Rockingham  Association  at  Brentwood,  N.H. —  U.S.  Con. 
vention  at  Middletown,  Ct.  —  South  Hampton,  N.H.  —  Death  of  Rev. 
H.  Bacon  —  Anniversary  Week  —  Speech  at  Reform  Meeting  —  Massa- 
chusetts Convention  at  Haverhill  —  Sandown,  N.H. —  Lowell,  Mass. — 
Progressive  Christianity  —  First  Anniversary  at  Tufts  College  —  Con- 
necticut Convention  at  New  Haven  —  Preaches  in  Carver,  Stoneham, 
Franklin,  Plymouth,  and  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  Kingston,  N.H. — 
Visit  to  Concord,  N.H.  — Commentary  on  Book  of  Daniel  —  Dedi- 
cation at  Maiden  —  Rev.  Mr.  Finney. 

MR.  WHITTEMORE  pleads  for  Tufts  College.  To  be  pros- 
perous, it  must  be  supplied,  fed,  strengthened.  Five  thousand 
dollars  are  needed  for  a  library ;  $100  each  for  fifty  men. 
"  We  have  already  paid  in  our  full  subscription  of  $1,000,  and 
shall  be  happy  to  join  with  forty-nine  others,  to  make  up  the 
$5,000  referred  to.  Then,  two  or  three  professorships  must 
be  founded,  on  not  a  smaller  basis  than  $25,000  each.  Who 
will  give  the  telescope?  A  superior  telescope  has  just  been 
given,  by  one  man,  to  Amherst  College,  at  a  cost  of  $1,800. 
When  the  telescope  is  obtained  for  Tufts  College,  who  will 
build  the  observatory  ?  We  hope  that  man}'  will  learn  to  give 
while  they  live." 


266  MEMOIR  OF 

Noticing  a  statement  in  one  of  the  papers  that  Dr.  W.  E. 
Channing  was  a  Universalist,  he  takes  occasion  to  state  the 
truth  respecting  it.  "We  are  confident  that  this  is  a  mis- 
take, unless  Dr.  Channing  changed  his  opinion  greatly  at  the 
close  of  his  life,  of  which  there  is  no  proof.  In  his  discourse 
on  sin,  future  punishment,  &c.,  he  says :  '  I  have  spoken  of 
the  pains  and  penalties  of  moral  evil,  or  of  wrong-doing  in 
the  world  to  come.  How  long  they  will  endure  I  know  not. 
Whether  they  will  issue  in  reformation  or  happiness  of  the 
sufferer,  or  will  terminate  in  the  extinction  of  his  conscious 
being,  is  a  question  on  which  Scripture  throws  no  clear  light. 
Plausible  arguments  may  be  adduced  in  favor  of  both  these 
doctrines.  On  this  and  other  points,  revelation  aims  not  to 
give  any  precise  information,  but  to  fix  in  us  a  deep  impres- 
sion that  great  suffering  awaits  a  disobedient,  wasted,  im- 
moral, irreligious  life.'  This  is  not  Universalism.  It  is  the 
spirit  of  doubt,  darkness,  and  fear.  Dr.  Channing  did  not 
know  but  a  large  portion  of  mankind  would  be  annihilated  !  " 

An  account  of  the  death  and  burial  of  Rev.  John  Moore, 
of  Concord,  N.H.,  appears  in  the  Trumpet  of  Feb.  17,  1855. 
Mr.  Moore  dropped  dead  suddenly  on  his  way  to  his  home 
in  Concord.  He  was  one  of  the  noblest  of  men  and  most 
faithful  of  ministers.  Not  long  before  his  death,  he  was 
nominated  for  governor  of  the  State  by  one  of  the  political 
parties.  It  was  afterwards  found  that  he  had  not  resided 
long  enough  in  the  State  to  be  eligible  to  the  office. 

His  friend  and  brother  in  the  ministry,  Rev.  A.  C.  Thomas, 
writes  Mr.  Whittemore :  "How  you  manage  to  get  through 
with  so  much  work  is  a  myster}'  to  me.  I  only  know  that 
multitudes  will  be  refreshed  by  the  waters  you  have  drawn, 
after  the  wheel  is  broken  at  the  cistern." 

lie  has  very  serious  queryings  as  to  the  consistency  of  the 
Wesleyan  Methodists  who  had  seceded  from  the  Episcopal 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  267 

Methodists  on  the  ground  of  their  opposition  to  slavery. 
They  supposed  themselves  to  be  participators  in  the  sin  of 
Slavery  by  remaining  in  the  communion  of  the  old  church. 
As  the  Wesleyans  claimed  more  liberality  and  benevolence 
than  the  Episcopals,  Mr.  Whittemore  is  surprised  that  they 
are  not  more  consistent  with  themselves.  But  what  do  they 
do?  Mr.  Whittemore  sa}-s :  "In  framing  their  new  dis- 
cipline, we  see,  they  introduced  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery 
into  their  Articles  of  Faith,  —  a  doctrine  the  most  repulsive 
to  a  benevolent  heart  of  any  that  could  be  named.  Call  you 
this  growing  more  liberal,  more  benevolent,  more  merciful 
than  the  Old  Church  ?  It  seems  to  us  to  be  less  so.  How 
does  it  happen  that  men  who  are  so  deeply  moved  by  the 
spectacle  of  slavery  on  earth  embrace,  with  so  much  enthu- 
siasm, the  doctrine  of  endless  slavery  in  the  world  to  come. 
According  to  their  doctrine,  the  Almighty  is  the  greatest 
slave-holder  in  the  universe.  There  is  no  relief  from  his 
cruel  bondage.  He  afflicts  willingly  and  grieves  the  children 
of  men.  Slavery,  wherever  it  exists,  is  wrong.  There  is  no 
circumstance  under  which  in  itself  it  is  right ;  it  is  wrong 
now,  wrong  for  ever ;  we  are  opposed  to  it  utterly,  both  in 
this  world  and  the  next.  But  the  Wesle^-an  Methodists,  who 
profess  such  a  horror  at  slavery  on  earth,  seem  to  go  far 
beyond  the  Episcopal  Methodists  in  vindicating  the  doctrine 
of  endless  slavery  in  hell.  It  seems  to  us  that  '  they  strain 
at  the  gnat  and  swallow  the  camel.' " 

A  highly  esteemed  correspondent  had  written  respecting  the 
great  controversy  on  divine  sovereignty  and  human  agency  : 
"  The  arguments  on  various  sides  of  this  subject  remind  me 
of  a  puzzle  I  have  seen,  which  was  cut  out  of  a  thin  square 
piece  of  board.  The  problem  was  to  put  the  right-angled, 
scalene,  and  truncated  triangles  all  together,  to  form  a  com- 
plete square.  Many  would  succeed  in  arranging  a  square, 


268  MEMOIR    OF 

but  they  would  leave  out  some  of  the  pieces.  So  in  this 
problem :  it  is  easy  enough  to  make  a  plausible  theory  by 
leaving  out  a  part  of  the  pieces.  But  that  is  not  the  way  to 
come  at  the  truth.  Let  us  hold  to  the  facts,  even  if  we  lose 
our  theories ;  for  the  facts  will  hold  us  at  last."  To  which 
Mr.  Whittemore  replies  :  ' '  All  I  ask  of  you  is  to  admit  that 
nothing  ever  took  place  which  God,  on  the  whole,  intended 
should  not  take  place.  Admit  this,  and  3'ou  may  put  together 
'  the  right-angled,  scalene,  and  truncated  triangles '  as  }"ou 
please.  I  will  not  interfere  with  that  at  all.  But,  if  you 
deny  my  proposition,  you  are  lost ;  I  am  lost ;  we  are  all  lost ; 
Universalism  is  a  fable  ;  and  our  faith  in  God  is  all  a  decep- 
tion. To  that  length  you  and  I  will  never  go." 

Mr.  Whittemore  learns  that  a  Memoir  of  Professor  Stuart, 
late  of  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  is  to  be  published ; 
and  expresses  a  strong  wish  that  the  fact  that  he  was  mainly 
instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  conversion  of  Rev.  Walter 
Balfour  to  Universalism  be  distinctly  stated  therein. 

He  notes  a  blow  aimed  at  Parkerism  by  the  newly  elected 
Professor  at  Harvard  University  on  the  Plummer  foundation, 
who  says,  speaking  of  a  sermon  of  Rev.  E.  K.  Buckingham 
(Unitarian)  in  defence  of  the  Scripturalness  of  Unitarianism  : 
"It  strikes  us,  however,  that  all  such  defences  are  rendered 
completely  futile  and  nugatory,  so  long  as  preachers  among 
us  are  recognized  as  regular  ministers  of  regular  Unitarian 
parishes  (and  are  accepted  and  welcomed  on  exchanges  with 
Unitarian  pastors)  who  deny  the  authority  of  the  Scripture 
itself,  reject  the  idea  of  a  Mediator,  sneer  at  the  word  re- 
demption, criticise  Christ's  personal  character,  prate  about 
Pauline  misconceptions,  and  tell  their  congregations  and 
Sunday  schools  that  many  parts  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments are  fables,  while  sin  is  only  an  imperfection  in  which 
Jesus  himself  participated !  While  we  joyfully  assert  the 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  269 

devout  character  and  tendencies  of  a  portion  of  the  sect,  we 
have  facts  to  sustain  ah1  these  intimations.  For  ourselves,  we 
will  not  be  compromised  by  being  associated  with  an  irrever- 
ence and  an  infidelity  which  disgusts  us  by  their  conceit,  as 
much  as  they  wound  our  sensibility  and  insult  our  under- 
standing." Mr.  Whittemore  adds :  "  We  learn  from  this 
that  Mr.  Huntington  has  an  utter  detestation  of  the  class 
called  Parkerites.  He  believes  the  system  of  Mr.  Parker 
to  be  a  rank  infidelity,  bearing  merely  the  appearance  of 
Christianity.  And  we  must  confess,  in  all  honesty,  that  we 
do  not  think  Mr.  Huntington's  judgment  is  incorrect.  Let 
every  thing  bear  its  true  name." 

After  enjoying  a  telescopic  view  of  the  moon,  he  writes  of 
it,  and  of  the  maker  of  the  instrument  through  which  he 
looked:  "On  the  evening  of  the  22d  of  May,  we  had  the 
most  pleasant  and  satisfactory  view  of  the  moon  that  any 
man  probably  ever  enjoyed.  We  have  a  neighbor  in  Cam- 
bridgeport  (Mr.  Alvin  Clark)  who  manufactures  telescopes. 
He  is  a  genius.  Besides  being  a  first-class  painter  of  por- 
traits, and  keeping  a  room  in  Boston  for  that  purpose,  and 
having  as  much  business  of  that  kind  as  he  can  possibly  do, 
he  spends  his  mornings  and  evenings  at  Cambridge  in  the 
manufacture  of  glasses.  At  present  he  is  engaged  in  making, 
or  rather  he  has  just  finished,  an  object-glass  of  large  dimen- 
sions, for  an  English  astronomer  of  note,  Rev.  W.  R.  Dawes, 
of  Kent  county.  On  the  evening  in  question,  the  glass  was 
done,  and  was  mounted  on  a  rude  frame,  with  a  pine  box  in- 
stead of  a  tube ;  and  the  artist  kindly  invited  us  to  call  and 
see  the  moon.  She  was  in  her  first  quarter  ;  the  atmosphere 
was  in  the  most  favorable  condition ;  and  the  new  object- 
glass  was  elevated  to  receive  her  rays.  The  view  was  excit- 
ing. Along  the  line  which  separates  the  enlightened  from 
the  dark  portions,  the  objects  were  very  distinct.  Spots  of 


270  MEMOIR    OF 

light  off  in  the  dark  field  showed  that  certain  high  objects 
there,  caught  the  sun's  rays,  while  the  parts  by  which  they 
were  surrounded  were  in  darkness,  just  as  high  mountains  on 
the  earth  are  tipped  with  the  light  of  the  sun  in  the  morning, 
while  the  regions  at  the  base  are  still  in  the  dark.  There  are 
unquestionably  mountains  in  the  moon.  Other  parts  ap- 
peared to  be  marked  like  deep  pits  of  a  circular  form,  which 
seem  to  indicate  that  internal  fires  have  raged  in  the  moon, 
and  that  the  lunar  surface  has  been  disfigured  by  immense 
volcanoes.  One  large  field  of  light  was  coming  into  view,  as 
if  the  light  of  the  sun  was  spreading  itself  upon  some  vast 
plane. 

"We  have  no  doubt  that  the  object-glass  will  be  received 
by  the  English  astronomer  with  high  pleasure,  and  that  he 
will  regard  it  as  the  most  valuable  one  of  its  size  he  ever  saw. 
Mr.  Clark  is  a  gentleman  of  modest  pretensions  ;  but  he  will 
bring  honor  not  only  to  himself  by  his  attainments,  but  to  his 
country.  He  is  the  discoverer  of  several  new  double-stars, 
which  have  been  reported  to  European  astronomers,  and 
which  will  undoubtedly  appear  in  the  next  catalogues  which 
shall  be  published." 

Mr.  Whittemore  is  this  year,  as  usual,  involved  in  the  in- 
terests of  Anniversary  Week  in  Boston.  It  is  a  week  of 
many  meetings.  The  Universalists  have  their  share  of  them. 
The  Home  Missionary  and  Sabbath  School  Associations  had 
meetings  of  much  interest.  The  Festival  was  in  Fancuil 
Hall  again.  Edwin  Rowland,  Esq.,  presided  and  made  an 
inspiring  introductory  address.  Good  and  grand  speeches 
followed,  by  Dr.  Ballou,  Rev.  S.  Cobb,  J.  W.  Hanson,  E. 
Fisher,  M.  Gaylord,  T.  Whittemore,  and  E.  H.  Chapin. 
The  last-named  Avas  in  his  happiest  vein.  Mr.  Whittemore's 
address  was  a  string  of  contrasts.  His  wit  was  running  over 
in  the  beginning,  making  many  facetious  allusions  to  certain 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  271 

friends  around  him.  Then,  apologizing  for  his  neglect  of 
preparation  for  want  of  time  on  short  notice,  he  took  the 
interior  of  Faneuil  Hall  for  a  theme.  Walls,  pillars,  por- 
traits, busts,  all  were  "hailed"  and  honored;  and  the  dis- 
tinguished ones  of  the  past  there  represented,  aptly  and 
eloquently  apostrophized.  Then  came  a  tribute  to  the  press, 
especially  the  Universalist  press,  including  an  amusing  ac- 
count of  his  first  subscription  for  the  Universalist  Magazine, 
published  by  Mr.  Henry  Bowen.  After  a  compliinentary 
notice  of  Tufts  College,  he  made  a  very  touching  allusion  to 
his  serious  illness  during  the  past  year,  and  to  the  sudden 
death  of  Eev.  John  Moore  of  New  Hampshire.  ''He  was 
serene  in  life,  resigned  in 'death,  and  leaves  to  his  heirs  and 
to  us  all  the  inheritance  of  his  virtues  and  his  good  name. 
Let  us  like  him  be  faithful,  striving  for  union,  knowing  but 
one  Universalism,  one  work,  and  one  life.  And  the  God  of 
peace  will  bless  us." 

On  Thursday  evening,  June  27,  Rev.  Henry  Jewell  was 
installed  as  pastor  of  the  Second  Universalist  Society  in 
Lynn.  Mr.  AVhittemore  preached  the  sermon  from  Rom.  xv. 
29.  "  And  I  am  sure  that  when  I  come  unto  you,  I  shall 
come  in  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ." 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  held  its  session  this  year 
in  the  First  Church  in  Lynn.  Mr.  "\Vhittemore  officiated  as 
Chairman.  The  Occasional  Sermon  was  delivered  by  Rev. 
X.  Gunnison. 

A  Sunday  in  June  is  spent  at  Tj-ngsboro,  Mass.  He  writes 
of  the  visit :  "It  was  twenty  years  since  we  preached  in  that 
town.  A  new  race  had  sprung  into  being,  the  middle-aged 
had  become  old  men  and  women.  But  heaven  and  earth 
looked  young  as  ever ;  the  sun.  the  green  fields,  the  smiling 
river,  were  still  in  perfect  youth.  Sunday  was  a  lovely  da}-, 
and  we  had  the  people.  The  Universalist  meeting-house  was 


272  MEMOIR    OF 

full,  and  there  were  no  services  in  the  other  churches.  We 
preached  the  Gospel  according  to  our  poor  ability,  and  ex- 
horted the  people  to  love  and  to  good  works." 

In  an  editorial  in  his  paper  of  July  21,  he  speaks  somewhat 
at  length  on  "  Revivals  in  Former  Times  "  in  New  England, 
under  the  preaching  of  the  senior  President  Edwards  and 
Rev.  George  Whitfield.  "Mr.  Edwards  was  in  the  height 
of  his  influence,  and  in  the  midst  of  religious  excitements, 
when  Mr.  Whitfield  came  to  New  England.  He  soon  threw 
the  Northampton  divine  into  the  shade.  While  Edwards 
could  get  up  one  revival,  Whitfield  could  get  up  twenty. 
There  was  a  great  difference  in  the  two  men.  Edwards  was 
a  man  of  great  natural  ability,  and  his  mind  was  stored  with 
the  fruits  of  thirty  years'  close  application  to  study ;  but 
Whitfield  had  little  to  recommend  him  except  his  orator- 
ical powers.  As  shallow  rivers  make  the  loudest  noise  in 
their  course,  so  WThitfield  for  a  time  attracted  the  more 
attention. 

"  President  Edwards  saw  the  extravagances  into  which  the 
inhabitants  were  falling,  and  made  an  effort  to  deaden  the 
flame  which  he  had  kindled.  The  devil,  he  said  (he  always 
had  a  remarkable  familiarity  in  his  language  in  regard  to  the 
devil),  was  always  most  active  in  times  of  revival.  The 
tunes  when  '  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  abound  are 
those  in  which  counterfeits  also  abound  [an  evident  allusion 
to  Whitfield],  the  devil  being  then  abundant  in  mimicking 
both  the  ordinary  and  extraordinary  influences  of  that 
Spirit.' 

"  Mr.  Whitfield's  work  caused  much  division  in  the  churches. 
He  did  more  to  split  the  country  into  sects  than  any  other 
man.  A  writer  of  that  day  speaks  of  the  fruit  of  the  revivals 
then  carried  on  as  being  '  spleen,  bigotry,  and  uncharitable- 
ness.'  He  enumerates,  among  other  evils  those  excitements 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  273 

had  produced,  '  an  enthusiastic,  factious,  censorious  spirit,  — 
a  vain,  conceited  temper  ; '  '  children  teaching  their  parents  or 
ministers ; '  '  low-bred,  illiterate  persons  settling  difficult 
points  of  divinity  better  than  the  most  learned  ; '  '  conversions 
spoken  of  with  the  same  air  as  common  news ; '  '  churches 
full  of  contention,  and  crumbling  into  sects  ; '  '  ministers,  in- 
stead of  endeavoring  to  strengthen  each  other's  hands,  using 
part}'  names,  —  Arminians,  Antinomians,  — and  treating  each 
other  with  bitterness  and  severity.'  Such  were  the  revivals 
of  a  hundred  }'ears  ago.  And  do  they  not  bear  a  strong  re- 
semblance in  their  effects  to  many  of  the  revivals  of  the 
present  day?  Do  we  not  now  have  spleen,  bigohy,  and  un- 
charitableuess  ;  an  enthusiastic,  factious,  censorious  spirit ;  a 
vain,  conceited  temper ;  churches  full  of  contention,  and  min- 
isters treating  each  other  with  bitterness  and  severity?  How 
unlike  the  religion  of  the  Lord  Jesus  !  " 

He  has  some  sensible  sayings  in  reference  to  "  Unqualified 
Preachers."  He  thinks  that  Universalists  have  suffered  some- 
what from  the  non-qualification  of  ministers  :  — 

'•  Vniversalists  were  obliged  in  former  tunes,  perhaps,  to 
receive  into  their  fellowship  any  who  offered  themselves,  if 
they  were  believed  to  be  earnest  Christians.  But  we  are  not 
under  that  necessity  now.  Our  cause  is  not  now  in  its  in- 
cipient stages.  We  have  a  few  clergymen  who,  instead  of 
helping  the  cause  onward,  are  impediments.  Some  destroy 
societies.  This  is  not  always  because  the  preacher  needs 
literary  qualifications,  —  such  deficiency  is  bad  enough,  —  but 
there  are  other  things  which  make  a  preacher  useless 

••  What,  then,  is  to  be  done?  The  standard  of  ministerial 
qualifications  must  be  raised.  The  clergyman  should  ask 
himself,  Am  I  doing  good  ?  Am  I  serving  the  cause  of  truth  ? 
Are  my  labors  profitable  ?  Have  I  left  every  society  of  which 
I  have  been  pastor  better  than  I  found  it?  If  not,  brother, — 

18 


274  MEMOIR   OF 

if  on  the  whole  you  are  obliged  to  answer  these  questions  in 
the  negative,  — think  what  you  ought  to  do.  It  is  a  pity  for 
a  man  to  be  dull  of  apprehension  in  such  things.  But  it  may 
be  said  in  reply,  that,  if  our  advice  be  followed,  the  present 
number  of  our  clergymen  will  decrease.  Well,  let  it  de- 
crease. Is  the  strength  of  our  clergy  in  its  numbers  merely  ? 
What  should  we  think  of  a  man  who,  if  asked,  '  Why,  sir,  do 
you  remain  in  the  ministry  ? '  should  answer,  '  Only  to  swell 
the  numbers ! '  Fifty  competent  clergymen  are  better  than 
five  hundred  of  the  opposite  class." 

Tufts  College  was  opened  on  Wednesday,  Aug.  22.  It  was 
a  day  of  gladness  ;  bright  and  beautiful  without,  and  inviting 
a  large  attendance  at  the  Hill.  The  college  edifice  was 
thrown  open,  and  free  access  given  to  the  roof,  from  the  top 
of  which  one  of  the  most  delightful  of  prospects  could  be  en- 
joyed. The  building  was  thronged,  —  entry-ways,  stairs, 
and  every  other  place  where  there  was  the  least  opportunity 
of  hearing  or  seeing.  The  procession  moved  (if  it  could  be 
called  a  procession  in  such  a  crowd)  from  the  south-west  base- 
ment to  the  great  chapel,  when  music  was  given  by  the  Ger- 
mania  Band.  Then  followed  a  prayer  by  Kev.  Henry  Bacon, 
of  Philadelphia.  Another  strain  of  music  followed,  when  the 
Vice-President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  Mr.  Whittemore  (the 
President  being  absent) ,  proceeded  to  install  the  officers.  He 
spoke  as  follows  :  — 

"Dr.  Ballou,  and  Gentlemen  Professors:  The  noble  emi- 
nence on  which  this  edifice  stands  is  covered  with  unusual 
beauty  this  morning.  We  see  an  immense  gathering  of  our 
friends  from  regions  near  and  distant,  every  face  beaming 
with  smiles.  They  have  come  here,  sir,  to  witness  the  open- 
ing of  this  infant  institution,  and  the  installation  of  yourself 
as  President  thereof,  and  your  colleagues  as  professors  in  the 
various  departments. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  275 

' '  Our  thoughts  naturally  turn  to-day  to  the  origin  of  Tufts 
College.  It  grew  out  of  a  want  which  we  had  long  felt.  You 
and  I  remember,  sir,  the  efforts  that  were  made  by  our  fathers 
for  the  founding  of  a  school  in  which  the  young  could  be 
educated  without  being  subjected  to  sectarian  influences,  or 
brought  under  bondage  to  creeds.  We  have  known,  too,  the 
necessity  of  literary  culture  among  young  men  aspiring  to 
the  Christian  ministry.  We  have  known  the  disadvantages 
under  which  they  have  labored  who  have  entered  the  sacred 
office  without  competent  preparation.  I  do  not  deny,  Doctor, 
that  the  great  qualification  of  a  preacher  is  from  above ;  it 
consists  in  an  ardent  love  of  the  Gospel,  an  irrepressible  de- 
sire to  preach  the  same  to  suffering,  dying  men ;  and  in  a 
sanctification  of  the  soul  by  the  power  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus  ;  it  consists  in  a  consecration  of  all  the  powers  to  God, 
leading  us  to  look  to  his  will  as  the  supreme  law  of  our  lives, 
and  to  say,  with  the  converted  Saul,  in  the  first  outburst  of 
his  piety,  '  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ? '  Without 
these  qualifications  all  others  are  vain.  But  even  with  these, 
a  preacher  of  the  best  intentions,  without  proper  literary 
culture,  will  constant!}*  find  himself  under  embarrassment, 
and  the  benefit  of  his  labors  will  be  greatly  abridged.  We 
have  seen  all  this,  and  felt  it  in  that  class  of  Christians  to 
which  we  belong.  I  know  that,  in  the  apostolic  days,  God 
prepared  his  servants  in  every  respect  for  their  duty.  He 
left  nothing  in  the  matter  of  preparation  for  them  to  do  ;  they 
needed  not  to  contemplate  the  form  of  language  they  were  to 
use,  for  God  would  breathe  upon  their  lips  at  the  very  moment 
when  required  the  words  the}-  should  utter.  But  God  does 
not  qualify  his  servants  in  this  manner  now.  He  does  not 
work  miracles  except  when  miracles  are  necessary ;  and  the 
ministers  of  the  Gospel  may  as  well  expect  now  to  be  able  to 
heal  the  sick,  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and  to  raise  the 


276  MEMOIR  OF 

dead,  as  to  have  the  other  qualifications  of  the  apostles  which 
God  miraculously  bestowed  upon  them. 

"It  was  a  conviction  of  these  truths,  and  a  deep  sense  of 
the  wants  of  our  branch  of  the  church,  that  moved  to  action 
the  individual  whose  name  this  College  bears.  His  great 
heart  throbbed  with  deep  pulsations  to  answer  our  wants. 
He  owned  this  noble  eminence  from  which  a  panorama  in- 
comparably beautiful  ma}-  be  seen,  —  an  eminence  near  the 
capital  of  the  State,  that  the  students  of  the  College  may 
avail  themselves  of  the  lectures  and  other  literary  advantages 
which  are  furnished  freely  there,  —  an  eminence  swept  so  con- 
stantly by  the  sweet  winds  of  heaven,  that  sickness,  or  weak- 
ness of  mind  or  body,  can  never  originate  upon  the  spot :  he, 
happily  for  us,  I  say,  owned  the  hill,  and  he  said  to  us,  take 
it ;  '  set  it  apart  for  your  use,'  baptize  it  with  the  influence  of 
Christianity ;  consecrate  it  to  religion  and  science  ;  beautify 
it ;  let  wisdom,  as  of  old,  cry  from  the  high  places,  '  Whoso 
seeketh  knowledge,  let  him  turn  in  hither ;  forsake  the  foolish 
and  live,  and  go  in  the  way  of  understanding.' 

"Our  brethren  in  regions  near  and  distant  contributed 
of  their  worldly  wealth  to  aid  in  establishing  this  insti- 
tution. The  Commonwealth  has  given  us  a  charter,  con- 
ferring upon  this  College  all  the  literary  advantages,  powers, 
and  privileges  which  the  most  favored  institutions  enjoy ; 
and  with  an  object  so  noble  as  ours,  if  we  do  our  duty  well, 
she  will  not  let  the  College  suffer.  We  owe  a  great  duty  to 
the  donors.  To  carry  out  their  designs  we  have  erected  this 
building,  —  the  main  College  edifice,  —  and  have  commenced 
the  erection  of  others  which  arc  to  stand  around  it. 

"  Still  farther  to  carry  out  the  designs  of  these  donors,  we 
have  selected  you  and  3-0111-  colleagues  to  take  charge  of  the 
department  of  learning.  We  have  chosen  you  because  we 
have  confidence  in  you  ;  and  we  trust  you  come  here,  gentle- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  'ill 

men,  with  a  hearty  good-will,  not  for  3*our  own  good,  neither 
for  honor,  nor  for  wealth,  but  to  establish  this  institution, 
and  build  it  up,  and  make  it  useful.  We  have  chosen  you, 
because  you  are  a  man  of  great  hope  and  faith,  and  you 
will  be  called  to  exercise  the  full  measure  of  both.  We  have 
not  placed  you  here  that  we  may  turn  and  leave  you.  You 
are  still  to  share  our  sympathies,  and  to  be  sustained  by  all 
the  aids  we  can  render.  There  is  not  a  man  or  woman  stand- 
ing on  this  hill  this  morning,  whose  responsibility  will  not  be 
increased  by  the  opening  of  the  College  and  the  installation 
of  the  officers.  The  institution  does  not  belong  to  the  few, 
but  to  the  man}"." 

After  speaking  very  emphatically  upon  the  necessity  of 
connecting  Science  with  Christianity  in  our  literary  institu- 
tions, Mr.  Whittemore  concluded  by  saying :  — 

'  •  With  this  expression  of  my  sentiments,  I  proceed,  Dr. 
Ballon,  to  place  the  institution  under  your  care.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  absence  of  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees, Dr.  Oliver  Dean,  of  Franklin,  Mass.,  the  duty  devolves 
on  me.  In  behalf  of  the  donors,  in  behalf  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  I  welcome  you,  sir,  to  jour  elevated  position  ;  I 
welcome  }-our  coUeagues  to  the  heads  of  their  different  de- 
partments. Permit  me  to  say,  sir,  if  }-ou  meet  with  the 
success  your  merit  deserves,  it  will  be  all  we  can  ask.  We 
know  the  family  to  which  you  belong  ;  we  know  your  long-tried 
devotion  to  the  truth.  We  believe  we  may  anticipate  a  pros- 
perity here,  which  shall  justify  the  application  of  the  words 
of  the  prophet :  '  There  shall  be  a  handful  of  corn  in  the  top 
of  the  mountains,  the  fruit  whereof  shall  shake  like  Leb- 
anon.' " 

President  Ballou  made  a  brief  reply,  and  afterwards  pro- 
ceeded to  deliver  an  elaborate  address,  the  subject  of  which 
was,  the  general  influence  of  colleges  on  the  literature  of  the 


278  MEMOIR  OF 

country,  on  the  academies  and  schools,  and  on  the  churches 
through  its  ministers.  Thanks  were  then  rendered  by  Rev. 
E.  Fisher,  of  Dedham. 

After  the  services  of  installation,  there  was  a  gathering  of 
the  multitude  under  a  great  tent  erected  on  the  college 
grounds,  where  an  excellent  and  ample  repast  was  enjoyed ; 
after  which,  President  Ballou  gave  a  brief  address  of  wel- 
come ;  appropriate  sentiments  were  offered,  and  speeches 
were  made  by  Rev.  O.  A.  Skinner,  Rev.  A.  A.  Miner,  Rev. 
E.  H.  Chapin,  B.  B.  Mussey  Esq.,  and  Rev.  T.  B.  Thayer. 
An  appeal  for  funds  was  made,  and  about  $4,000  subscribed 
by  the  company  present. 

The  Rockingham  Association  held  its  session  this  year  in 
Brentwood,  N.H.  It  was  well  attended.  Rev.  T.  J.  Green- 
wood preached  the  Occasional  Sermon,  and  Mr.  Whittemore 
addressed  the  assembly  on  the  last  afternoon  of  the  meeting. 
Rev.  S.  Streeter  followed  him  in  a  very  animated  and  inspir- 
ing exhortation.  "  This  Association,"  writes  Mr.  Whitte- 
more, "  taken  altogether,  was  thought  to  be  the  richest  that 
has  been  holden  for  several  years." 

The  United  States  Convention  was  held  at  Middletown,  Ct. 
The  Occasional  Discourse  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Sawj'er,  D.D.,  was 
eminent  for  its  ability,  appropriateness  to  the  time,  and  loy- 
alty to  Christian  Universalism.  His  words  respecting 
American  Slavery,  as  Mr.  Whittemore  reported,  "  were  abso- 
lutely cauterizing."  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  on  Thursday 
morning,  and  Rev.  E.  .H.  Chapin  in  the  afternoon,  after 
which  the  communion  service  was  observed.  Mr.  Whitte- 
more says  of  Mr.  Chapin's  discourse,  "  Others  may  say  what 
they  please  :  ice  think  the  orator  went  beyond  himself."  The 
Middletown  News,  a  secular  journal,  said  of  the  Conven- 
tion :  ' '  The  sermons  were  as  eloquent  and  finished  theologi- 
cal discourses  as  we  have  ever  heard.  They  appeared  to  be 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  279 

addressed  to  the  understanding,  and  produced  a  profound 
and  lasting  impression  on  all  present.  "We  noticed  that  sev- 
eral of  the  leading  members  of  other  denominations  in  the 
city  were  in  constant  attendance  at  the  public  exercises." 

A  Sunday  at  South  Hampton,  N.H.,  is  noted.  There  is  a 
large  attendance  from  adjacent  towns,  and  it  was  an  enjoy- 
able occasion  to  the  preacher.  He  writes :  "  The  text  was, 
'  Let  us  go  on  unto  perfection,'  and  most  attentively  and 
feelingly  did  the  people  listen.  It  seemed  like  good  old 
tunes  truly.  On  the  same  day,  Brother  Spaulding,  of  Meth- 
uen,  preached  at  Kensington,  only  a  few  miles  distant ;  and 
Brother  Jewell,  at  Danville,  which  was  quite  near  in  another 
directiou.  We  think  some  good  was  done  that  day  for  the 
truth  in  old  Rockingham." 

On  the  19th  of  March,  1856,  Rev.  Henry  Bacon,  pastor  of 
the  church  of  the  Messiah,  in  Philadelphia,  departed  this  life. 
He  was  born  in  Boston  in  1813,  and  was  educated  religiously, 
a  Universalist.  He  was  a  man  of  great  mental  activity,  a 
close  student,  ready  writer,  easy  and  rapid  speaker,  fervent 
in  his  public  ministries,  and  a  pastor  of  rare  merit.  He  had 
been  settled  in  East  Cambridge,  Haverhill,  and  Marblehead, 
Mass.,  in  Providence,  R.I.,  and  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Fune- 
ral services  were  held  in  the  last-named  place,  and  in  School 
Street  Universalist  church,  Boston,  on  which  occasion  a  dis- 
course was  delivered  by  H.  Ballou,  D.D.  An  interesting 
account  of  the  life  and  character  of  the  lamented  and  honored 
minister  appears  in  the  Trumpet  from  Mr.  Whittemore. 

Business  with  the  Trustees  of  Tufts  College,  and  other 
engagements,  prevented  Mr.  Whittemore  from  making  his  own 
reports  of  the  meetings  on  Anniversary  Week  this  year. 
But  his  paper  is  quite  full  of  the  record.  Prayer-meetings  of 
much  interest  were  held  in  the  Universalist  churches  in  Bos- 
ton ;  the  Sabbath  School  Union  and  Home  Missionary  Socie- 


280  MEMOIR  OF 

ties  had  their  sessions  ;  and  the  Reform  Association  was  held 
in  the  School  Street  church.  Frank  B.  Fay,  Esq.,  presided. 
The  Report  on  Peace,  by  Rev.  T.  D.  Cook,  elicited  strong 
discussion  on  non-resistance  and  war,  in  which  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  took  part.  He  would  not  justify  the  spirit  of  war,  but 
would  justify  self-defence.  "  If  others  will  let  us  alone,  we 
have  no  occasion  to  engage  in  war.  But  if  robbers  enter  his 
house  with  an  evil  design  upon  himself  or  his  family,  he 
believed  resistance  justifiable.  In  such  resistance,  he  did  not 
exercise  the  spirit  of  war.  Did  Charles  Sumner  possess  the 
spirit  of  war,  when  he  rose  to  defend  himself  from  the  attack 
made  upon  him  ?  "  An  able  Report  on  Slavery  was  made  by 
Rev.  W.  R.  G.  Mellen.  Resolutions  on  Temperance  were  dis- 
cussed and  passed. 

At  the  Festival  in  Faneuil  Hall,  Mr.  Fay  presided.  In  his 
opening  address,  he  gave  lively  sketches  of  the  Festivals  in 
years  past.  He  was  followed  by  speeches  from  Rev.  Messrs. 
W.  H.  Ryder,  C.  H.  Leonard,  E.  G.  Brooks,  C.  H.  Fay,  E. 
H.  Chapin,  A.  A.  Miner,  Professor  Drew,  and  Dr.  T.  K. 
Taylor.  Rev.  Mr.  Brooks's  speech  was  one  of  great  power. 
He  alluded  to  the  infamy  which  in  our  Congress  halls  had  just 
fallen  upon  the  name  of  Brooks  (the  Congressman  who  as- 
saulted Mr.  Sumner),  and  said,  "  I  wonder  these  walls  didn't 
hiss  at  it !  "  He  nobly  vindicated  the  name  from  the  reproach 
so  lately  cast  upon  it.  Mr.  Chapin  was  as  electric  as  ever. 
His  personal  allusions  to  friends  in  the  hall  were  admirable. 
He  spoke  of  Mr.  Whittemore  as  ' '  railroad  wise  and  theologi- 
cally steadfast;  with  the  sovereignty  of  God  in  one  hand, 
and  love  and  fellowship  for  men  of  every  name  in  the  other." 
Of  the  hall  itself,  he  said,  "If  he  had  but  four  breaths  to 
draw,  he  would  wish  to  draw  one  in  the  air  of  home  and 
sacred  duty ;  the  second  in  the  gorge  of  the  White  Moun- 
tains ;  the  third  on  the  broad  and  heaving  sea ;  and  the 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  281 

fourth  sniff  he  would  have  out  of  old  Faneuil  Hall."  All  the 
addresses  were  of  the  highest  order.  Dr.  T.  K.  Taylor  re- 
sponded in  a  very  appropriate  speech  to  a  sentiment  recog- 
nizing "  the  Laity  of  our  denomination." 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  held  its  session  this  year  in 
Haverhill.  A  Sunday  School  Convention  was  held  at  the 
same  time.  Sermons  were  preached  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Laurie, 
Miner,  and  Whittemore.  Of  Mr.  Laurie's  sermon  Mr.  Whit- 
temore  writes:  "It  was  well  written,  and  delivered  in  an 
excellent  spirit ;  but  man}'  of  the  brethren  took  exceptions  to 
the  statements  thereof.  On  a  motion  to  render  thanks  for 
the  sermon  and  ask  a  copy  for  the  press,  there  was  a  very 
spirited  debate,  and  the  resolution  did  not  pass  without  an 
amendment,  declaring  it  to  be  the  opinion  of  the  Convention, 
that  the  sermon  did  not  express  the  convictions  of  the  Uni- 
versalist  clergy  on  the  subject,  '  Ministers  preaching  on  the 
Reforms  of  the  Day.'  The  feelings  of  the  Convention  had  been 
greatly  aroused  by  the  murders,  rapine,  and  destruction  of  the 
property  of  the  settlers  in  Kansas,  and  also  by  the  fact  that 
one  of  the  Senators  of  Massachusetts  had  been  knocked  down 
on  the  floor  of  the  Senate  Chamber,  and  the  State  been  thus 
deprived  of  one  half  her  constitutional  representation  in  that 
body.  The  other  sermons  spoke  an  additional  voice  against 
such  aggressions,  and  there  is  no  doubt —  there  can  be  none 
—  that  Brother  Laurie  himself  would  approve  them."  The 
communion  service  was  observed  at  the  close  of  the  last  day. 

On  Sundaj*,  June  8,  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  Sandown, 
jST.H.  He  had  not  been  there  for  nearly  nine  years.  The 
hill  on  which  the  church  stands  was  covered  with  carriages 
from  neighboring  towns.  He  writes :  "It  was  an  opportu- 
nity to  do  good,  and  we  sought  to  improve  it.  We  have  not 
been  so  wearied  by  a  Sunday's  services  for  a  long  time.  We 
urged  it  upon  the  brethren  to  unite  with  Freemont,  Brent- 


282  MEMOIR  OF 

wood,  and  Kingston,  and  get  a  faithful  and  talented  man  to 
live  among  them." 

"A  Sabbath  in  Lowell"  is  recorded.  Mr.  Whittemore 
preached  to  large  congregations  in  the  First  Universalist 
Church.  The  pastor,  Rev.  T.  B.  Thayer,  was  not  in  good 
health,  and  had  suspended  his  labors  for  a  season.  Mr. 
Whittemore  rode  from  home  and  back  in  his  carriage,  fifty- 
four  miles,  beside  preaching,  on  the  same  day. 

Of  Senator  Sumner's  speech  in  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States,  on  the  19th  and  20th  of  May,  for  which  he  was 
stricken  down  by  a  son  of  South  Carolina,  he  says  :  "It  has 
been  published  by  John  P.  Jewett  &  Co.,  Boston;  also  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  New  York  city,  and  in  many  other  places. 
Edition  after  edition  has  been  called  for.  It  is  going  into 
every  family  in  New  England,  the  Middle  States,  and  all  the 
great  "West,  to  be  read  by  males  and  females,  parents  and 
children,  who  never  would  have  seen  it  but  for  the  present 
excitement.  The  assault  on  Mr.  Sumner  has  created  this 
unparalleled  call  for  his  Kansas  speech.  Thus  we  see  that 
the  violence  of  man  subverts  itself.  Brooks's  gutta-percha 
cane  has  done  more  for  freedom  in  Kansas  than  Sharp's  rifles. 
He  did  not  intend,  however,  to  produce  such  a  result." 

There  was  much  talk  in  these  days  about  ' '  Christian  prog- 
ress" and  "progressive  Christianity, "  occasioned  by  the 
somewhat  pretentious  radicalism  that  had  shown  itself  in 
some  of  the  "liberal"  churches.  Mr.  Whittemore  takes 
occasion  to  say  on  the  subject :  ' '  We  hear  much  said  in  our 
day  about  progressive  Christianity.  For  our  part,  we  do  not 
believe  in  a  progressive  Christianity.  We  believe  in  Chris- 
tianity just  as  it  came  from  its  divine  Founder.  It  was  per- 
fect as  it  fell  from  his  lips,  and  as  it  was  illustrated  in  his 
life  ;  and  it  needs  to  be  no  better  improved,  nor  is  it  possible 
it  should  be,  Why  then  do  we  talk  about  progressive.  Chris- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  283 

tianity?  Is  not  Christianity  good  enough?  Has  it  not 
always  been  good  enough  ?  If  men  had  in  all  ages  clung  to 
Christianity,  and  not  receded  from  it,  would  they  not  at  this 
day  be  purer  in  life  and  in  faith  than  they  are  ?  Can  men 
improve  the  character  of  Christ  ?  his  precepts  ?  his  doctrines  ? 
Vain  presumption.  If  they  would  try  to  improve  themselves 
instead  of  trying  to  improve  Christianity,  they  would  be  en- 
gaged in  a  far  more  useful  work,  and  in  which,  perhaps,  they 
might  be  successful. 

"  While  we  do  not  believe  in  a  progressive  Christianity, 
we  do  believe  that  Christians  should  ami  at  progress  in  them- 
selves. They  should  '  grow  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ.'  The  knowledge  of  Christianity  among  men  may 
increase  ;  nations  that  know  it  not  may  be  brought  to  see  it 
and  believe  :  but  Christian^-  itself  has  no  change.  Heaven 
and  earth  may  pass  awa}-,  but  God's  truth  abides." 

The  first  anniversary  meeting  at  Tufts  College  was  held 
on  Wednesday,  Aug.  20.  It  was  a  meeting  heartily  enjoyed 
b}-  a  large  company.  Dr.  Ballou  presided,  and  addresses  were 
made  by  Professor  Marshall,  Drs.  Sawyer,  Chapin,  Paige, 
and  Mr.  Whittemore.  The  latter  remarked  that  he  rose 
with  reluctance.  He  said  he  had  long  ago  promised  never  to 
make  a  speech  on  the  same  day  that  Chapin  spoke ;  and  now 
he  had  nothing  to  say,  for  he  could  add  nothing  new  to  what 
had  been  already  offered.  He  merely  congratulated  the 
friends  of  the  College  upon  the  encouraging  prospects  before 
them,  and  contrasted  the  prospect  now  with  that  which  was 
presented  at  some  of  the  earlier  meetings  of  the  Trustees, 
when  the  path  before  them  seemed  dark  and  discouraging, 
and  they  looked  at  one  another  as  if  they  would  die  of  famine, 
and  were  obliged  to  put  their  harfcls  into  their  pockets  to  save 
the  enterprise  from  failure.  He  could  not  help  imagining 
that  the  thunder  we  heard  to-da}-  was  God's  voice  approving 


284  MEMOIR    OF 

of  our  work.  The  donations  and  pledges  given  here  to-day 
were  magnificent,  and  served  as  an  assurance  that  the  enter- 
prise would  not  go  down.  It  would  go  down  to  future  gen- 
erations, and  that  is  the  only  way  in  which  it  ever  will  go 
down. 

Large  contributions  to  the  College  were  made  on  this  occa- 
sion, and  Mr.  Packard  (one  of  the  most  generous  donors) 
stated  that  there  was  represented  at  that  gathering  more  prop- 
erty than  existed  in  all  New  England  at  the  time  when  Har- 
vard College  was  commenced. 

Mr.  Whittemore  attended  in  August  the  Connecticut  Con- 
vention held  at  New  Haven,  and  preached  during  the  session. 
This  visit  kept  him  away  from  the  Rockingham  Association. 

In  September,  he  attended  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Cheshire  County  Association  at  Winchester,  N.H.,  and  met 
several  ministering  brethren  younger  than  himself  whom  he 
had  never  seen  before.  He  preached  on  the  last  afternoon 
from  Horn.  vi.  1,  2.  "  After  the  sermon,"  he  writes,  "  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  administered  to  a  large  body  of  believers. 
Brothers  Whittemore  and  McCollester  officiated  at  the  table. 
It  was  a  solemn,  happy  occasion.  We  all  renewed  our  vows, 
and  pledged  ourselves  and  all  our  talents  to  the  cause  of  Uni- 
versal grace.  One  old  father  was  in  the  assembly  (Doolittle, 
of  Winchester) ,  who  was  born  in  1767,  four  j'ears  before 
Father  Ballou,  and  who  knew  Father  Ballou  aU  his  life  long. 
This  aged  man  came  forward  at  the  end  of  the  communion, 
and  gave  us  his  hand,  saying,  '  Brother  Whittemore,  this  is 
one  of  the  happiest  days  I  ever  saw  in  my  life.  I  bless  God 
that  I  am  able  to  be  here.'  The  benediction  was  pronounced, 
when  the  friends  went  slowly  and  reluctantly  away." 

During  this  same  month,  we  find  him  doing  the  work  of  an 
evangelist  on  different  Sundays,  in  Carver,  Stoneham,  and 
Franklin,  Mass.  He  is  unable  to  attend  this  season  the 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  285 

United  States  Convention,  which  holds  its  session  in  Erie, 
Pennsylvania. 

In  a  notice  of  "  The  Editor's  Labors,"  he  records  his  work 
on  three  SmKhn-s  in  October.  "On  the  first  Sunday,  we 
preached  in  Plymouth,  the  old  Pilgrim  town.  The  Univer- 
salist  church  stands  almost  on  Forefathers'  Rock,  on  the  site 
of  the  original  burying-ground  ;  and  probably  right  beneath  our 
feet  the  bones  of  some  of  the  first  settlers,  and  perhaps  even  of 
some  of  the  native  men  of  the  forest,  were  mouldering.  Public 
worship  was  well  attended  all  the  day.  On  the  second  Sab- 
bath we  were  at  Worcester.  It  was  a  bright  day.  The 
pastor  (Rev.  J.  G.  Adams)  was  sick,  and  was  not  able  to 
reach  the  church  in  the  forenoon.  The  house  was  well  filled. 
We  are  happy  to  believe  that  this  societj-  is  in  a  very  pros- 
perous condition.  One  or  two  members  [perhaps  only  one] 
have  become  disaffected  because  the  preacher's  expressed 
opinions  on  certain  subjects  of  high  national  interest  do  not 
agree  with  their  own.  Libert}'  to  think  and  liberty  to  speak 
is  natural  to  every  man  born  in  New  England.  Brother 
Adams  is  from  New  Hampshire,  the  land  of  democracy. 
The  Gospel  is  free,  the  pulpit  is  free,  and  where  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  there  is  liberty." 

Another  Sabbath  was  spent  in  Kingston,  N.H.  "  We  were 
quartered  beneath  the  honored  roof  of  Dr.  L.  S.  Bartlett, 
grandson  of  Governor  Josiah  Bartlett,  —  a  signer  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  A  gloomy  night  was  succeeded 
by  a  most  lovely  day  ;  one  of  the  happiest  Sabbaths  we  ever 
spent  in  the  county  of  Rockingham.  An  urgent  request  came 
for  us  to  appoint  a  Sabbath  when  we  would  preach  in  Rye,  a 
town  on  the  sea-coast.  Oh  that  we  had  the  strength  we  used 
to  have  twenty  years  ago  !  " 

He  visits  Concord,  N.H.,  in  November,  and  preaches  in 
the  Uuiversalist  church  there ;  the  pastor,  Rev.  J.  H.  Moore, 


286  MEMOIR   OF 

having  been  ill  for  some  little  time.  He  writes  :  "  Our  first 
duty  on  Sunday  morning  was  to  call  on  Brother  Moore.  He 
bore  the  marks  of  acute  disease  ;  but  was  so  far  recovered  as 
to  be  seated  in  the  pulpit  with  us  during  the  services.  The 
church  edifice  here  we  think  the  handsomest  one  in  Concord, 
and  perhaps  in  New  Hampshire.  The  audience,  we  are  told, 
fills  the  large  edifice  respectably.  "We  consider  the  society 
to  be  strong." 

He  thus  announces  his  intention  to  bring  out  another  com- 
mentary :  ' '  The  book  of  Daniel  is  the  Apocalypse  of  the  Old 
Testament.  The  editor  of  the  Trumpet  has  desired  for  quite 
a  long  time  to  attempt  a  commentary  on  that  book,  but  has 
been  dissuaded  hitherto  by  the  expostulations  of  ministering 
brethren,  who  fear  that  he  is  taking  too  much  upon  himself, 
and  may  provoke  another  attack  of  parahysis.  Why  should 
it  do  so,  if  we  can  do  the  work  calmly  and  take  pleasure  in 
it?  What  is  life  worth,  if  we  cannot  be  active  and  make 
good  use  of  our  tune  ?  Are  we  to  account  ourself  dead  while 
we  li ve  ?  We  should  be  more  likely  to  die  if  we  should  sit 
down  and  do  nothing,  than  if  we  should  calml}r,  carefully,  and 
usefully  labor  in  the  great  work  of  expounding  the  Scriptures, 
and  defending  the  great  doctrine  of  the  Gospel.  We  will  at 
least  begin  the  commentary  on  Daniel,  and  publish  it  in  sec- 
tions on  the  first  page  of  the  Trumpet,  as  we  published  at  first 
the  commentary  on  the  book'  of  Revelation.  We  know  not 
how  far  we  may  go.  The  first  number  may  be  looked  for 
soon." 

The  new  house  of  worship  belonging  to  the  Universalists 
of  Maiden  was  dedicated  on  Thursda}',  Jan.  1,  1857.  An 
exrrllent  discourse  was  delivered  by  Mr.  Whittemore  from 
Mii-ali  vi.  (J :  '•  Wherewith  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and 
bow  myself  before  the  high  God  ?  " 

Sunday,  Jan.  11,  was  spent  by  Mr.  Whittemore  in  Ports- 


THOMAS    WHTTTEVORE.  287 

mouth,  N.T-I.  In  the  absence  of  Rev.  Mr.  Patterson,  he 
preached  in  the  Universalist  church.  He  speaks  of  the  occa- 
sion as  one  of  much  enjoyment,  and  gives  a  very  favorable 
account  of  the  condition  of  the  church  and  of  the  faithftilness 
of  its  pastor. 

He  takes  occasion  to  notice  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fin- 
ne}',  who  has  been  delivering  a  course  of  "  revival"  lectures 
in  Park  Street  church,  Boston.  The  Traveller,  a  secular 
paper  of  that  CUT,  represents  Mr.  Finney  as  "  portraying 
the  horrors  of  an  eternal  death,  by  representing  the  pangs 
through  which  mortals  pass  during  the  few  brief  minutes  of 
gasping,  agonizing  suffering  that  precede  ph}'sical  death,  as 
prolonged  through  the  endless  ages  of  eternity."  "How 
unlike  Jesus  !  "  writes  Mr.  AVhittemore.  "  Find  a  passage 
like  this  if  you  can.  in  all  the  words  of  Christ,  spoken  either 
to  saints  or  sinners.  Nothing  like  it  ever  passed  his  lips,  in 
a  single  instance,  so  far  as  we  can  learn  from  the  Bible.  Mr. 
Finne}'  seems  to  delight  in  tormenting  mankind.  It  is  his 
vocation.  If  he  cannot  torment  them,  he  has  no  success. 
He  is  one  of  those  preachers  who  drive  men  to  insane  as}-lums. 
All  this  is  done  for  sectarian  purposes,  — to  sustain  partialist 
churches,  and  maintain  the  partialist  clergy.  For  this  selfish 
object  do  the\'  rouse  the  worst  fears  of  men.  The}:  are  like 
the  captain  of  a  ship,  who  should  torment  his  passengers  all 
the  voyage  through  with  fears  of  a  shipwreck  at  last.  '  Oh, 
you  will  never  reach  the  desired  port ;  you  will  all  be  lost ; 
you  will  be  thrown  upon  the  rocks  ;  3*our  bodies  will  be  washed 
up  on  the  sands  of  the  country  to  which  you  go ! '  "NVho 
would  submit  a  ship  to  the  command  of  such  a  man  ?  AN' ho 
would  sail  with  him  ?  And  yet  these  preachers  are  somewhat 
like  him.  but  far  worse.  The}'  seek  to  make  men  unhappy  ; 
they  are  the  tormentors  of  mankind.  God  forbid  that  we 
should  believe  them." 


288  MEMOIR    OF 


CHAPTER     XIV. 

1857-1858. 
AGED     57-58. 

Keeping  up  with  the  Times  —  Applications  to  preach  — "Woonsocket,  R.I.  — 
Anniversary  Meetings  —  Address  —  Eight  Days' Labor  —  Commence- 
ment at  Tufts  College  —  Address  —  Visit  to  Connecticut  and  the  West 

—  Niagara  again  —  First  Visit  to  Chicago  —  Springfield,  111.  —  U.S. 
Convention  at  Chicago  —  Various  kinds  of  Universalists  —  Conference 
at  Roxbury  —  Barnstable  —  Conference   and    Funeral    at   Salem  — 
Conference  at  Worcester  —  Visit  to  Kockport,  Mass.  —  Conference  at 
Lawrence  —  Middleboro,  Mass.  —  Book  of  Rev.  C.  F.  Hudson  —  Con- 
ference at  Cambridgeport  —  In  Milf ord,  Mass.  —  Address  of  Rev.  E. 
T.  Taylor  —  The  Religious  Revival  —  Interest  of  Universalists  in  it 

—  The  true   Interest  urged — "Too   Much   Zeal" — Visits    to   the 
"  Black  Sea  "  in  Boston. 

"KEEPING  up  with  the  times,"  is  a  subject  which  Mr. 
Whittemore  considers  in  a  brief  editorial  article.  The  com- 
plaint is  often  made,  "You  do  not  keep  up  with  the  times. 
What  does  this  complaint  mean  ?  Up  with  the  times  ?  Do 
you  mean  that  we  do  not  run  after  every  new  thing  ?  that 
we  are  not  easily  moved  from  the  strong  foundation  of  the 
Gospel?  If  you  mean  this,  then  we  do  not  keep  up  with  the 
times.  But  if  you  mean  that  we  do  not  receive  all  truth  in 
the  love  of  it,  —  truth  that  is  new  to  us,  as  well  as  that  which  is 
old,  — you  do  us  injustice.  We  keep  our  mind  wholly  open  to 
conviction.  Let  the  light  of  heaven  shine.  We  will  not 
object,  if,  like  Saul,  we  should  see  a  light  above  the  bright- 
ness of  the  sun.  Let  old  things  pass  away,  as  they  accom- 
plish their  purposes,  and  let  all  things  be  made  new.  But 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  289 

truth  can  never  pass  away.  There  can  be  no  new  truth. 
Truth  may  appear  to  us  to  be  new,  because  we  have  not  seen 
it  before  ;  but  it  is  old  truth,  after  all.  The  stars  are  shining 
just  as  brightly  before  they  rise  in  the  eastern  horizon  to  our 
sight,  as  the}*  shine  afterwards.  But  they  seem  to  us  to  be- 
gin to  shine  at  that  moment,  because  we  had  not  seen  them 
before.  So  truth  is  bright  before  we  see  it ;  it  is  old  before 
we  hear  of  it.  It  seems  to  rise  and  fall  to  men ;  but  it  neither 
rises  nor  sets,  and  seems  to  do  so  only  from  the  mutations 
of  earthly  things. 

"  We  have  seen  many  theories  rise  and  fall.  Like  meteors 
they  appear  in  the  sky,  shine  for  a  brief  space,  explode,  and 
go  out  in  darkness.  We  are  on  our  guard  against  such  the- 
ories. We  wish  to  be  steadfast,  immovable,  always  abound- 
ing in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  We  have  no  ambition  to  chase 
every  new  phantom.  But  every  truth  we  will  receive.  If  in 
this  way  we  do  not  keep  up  with  the  times,  it  is  because  the 
times  are  wrong.  We  are  not  over-anxious  to  be  conformed 
to  the  present  manners.  Christianity  was  a  separate  thing 
from  the  popular  systems  of  religion  that  prevailed  in  its  day  ; 
and  Christians  were  a  peculiar  people.  As  for  us,  we  will 
seek  to  follow  Christ ;  to  abide  by  the  divine  word,  keeping 
the  mind  open  to  all  truth." 

In  May  of  this  year,  he  writes :  "  We  have  received  this 
spring  several  applications  to  preach,  to  which  we  have  not 
responded  affirmatively.  We  may  name  Kingston,  East 
Kingston,  Weare,  and  other  places  in  New  Hampshire,  and 
several  places  in  Massachusetts.  We  have  a  very  strong 
desire  to  go,  —  a  desire  so  sti'ong  that  it  is  almost  uncontrolla- 
ble. But  reason  and  prudence  for  the  present  say  No.  Still 
we  hope  to  go  out  a  little  to  visit  our  friends  in  the  country. 
No  man  has  stronger  friends  than  we  have,  nor  more  of  them. 
God  bless  them  all." 

19 


290  MKMOIR   OF 

On  Sunday,  May  1,  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  Woon- 
socket,  R.I.  More  than  twenty-one  years  had  passed  since 
he  had  been  there.  He  writes  :  "  The  society  is  now  steadily 
prosperous  under  the  care  of  Rev.  John  Boyden.  "We  used 
to  preach  much  in  this  vicinity  in  the  first  year  of  our  ministry. 
All  our  old  feelings  were  called  into  life  by  seeing  the  people 
whom  we  used  to  .address  in  A.D.  1821.  We  took  the 
hands  of  many  of  them.  Woonsocket  is  the  place  in  which 
Hosea  Ballou  closed  his  earthly  ministry.  The  society  is 
well  established." 

Mr.  Whittemore  is  again  at  the  A  nniversary  meetings  in 
Boston.  He  takes  part  in  the  discussions,  and  is  called  upon 
to  speak  at  the  Festival  in  Faneuil  Hall.  He  spoke  to  this 
sentiment:  "  Our  Course  —  steady,  but  sure,  like  the  course 
of  the  true  light  which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  per- 
fect day." 

Mr.  Whittemore  said,  by  "our  course"  he  presumed  was 
meant  the  course  of  the  Christian  denomination  which  we 
represent.  He  was  glad  that  there  was  no  boasting  in  the 
sentiment  about  our  progress,  —  no  glorification  ;  our  course 
had  been  stead}',  not  fitful,  not  unnaturally  rapid,  but  sure, 
like  the  course  of  light  which  shineth  brighter  and  brighter 
unto  the  perfect  day.  "  At  first  a  slight  glow  appears  in  the 
east ;  then  the  light  shoots  up  into  the  heavens ;  the  glory 
increases  until  it  reaches  its  noonday  splendor.  Excitements, 
called  revivals,  sometimes  take  place,  which  are  moral  whirl- 
winds, earthquakes,  conflagrations.  They  are  designed  to 
quench  out  truth.  People  say,  Your  sect  does  not  incn-nse 
like  ours ;  see  what  numbers  are  running  after  our  gods. 
Yes,  and  so  numbers  ran  after  Nebuchadnezzar's  god  in 
P.aliylon.  We  know  that  wildfire  will  run  over  a  country 
much  faster  than  civilization.  A  whirlwind  will  knock  down 
a  thousand  orchards  while  you  are  rearing  one.  All  this  is 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  291 

to  be  expected.  A  conflagration  will  destroy  a  town  in  much 
less  time  than  it  took  to  build  it  up.  But  the  whirlwind,  the 
earthquake,  the  fire,  do  not  betoken  God.  He  addresses  us 
in  the  '  still  small  voice.'  If  you  doubt  whether  our  cause 
is  progressing,  compare  it  now  with  what  it  was  a  few  years 
ago."  Mr.  Whittemore  here  gave  a  lively  and  very  accepta- 
ble account  of  his  own  experience  in  this  respect,  and  related 
some  striking  and  amusing  anecdotes  of  the  older  clerg}*,  and 
closed  with  a  most  fervent  exhortation  to  those  of  his  own 
church,  in  the  present  time,  to  be  as  faithful,  self-sacrificing, 
and  devoted  as  were  the  fathers.  Chapin's  speech  on  the 
occasion  was  a  stirring  trumpet-blast. 

'In  his  paper  of  June  20,  "  Eight  Days'  Labor"  is  a  subject 
of  record.  "  Thursda}',  June  4.  We  left  Boston  for  Fitch- 
burg,  fifty  miles,  where  we  spent  the  forenoon,  and  returned 
home  at  the  close  of  the  da}-. 

"  Friday,  5th.    Went  once  more  to  Fitchburg,  and  returned. 

"  Saturday,  6th.  Attended  to  editorial  and  other  duties  in 
Boston,  and,  at  5  P.M.,  started  for  Lawrence,  where  we  shall 
preach  to-morrow. 

"  Sunday,  7th.     Preached  through  the  day  in  this  cit}'. 

"  Monday,  8th.  Returned  to  Boston.  Attended  to  various 
duties  during  the  day. 

"Tuesday,  9th.  Started  once  more  for  Fitchburg.  Re- 
mained here  until  1.30  P.M.,  when  we  left  Fitchburg  for  the 
Vermont  and  Massachusetts  Railroad.  Arrived  at  Brattle- 
boro  at  4.40.  Spent  the  time  here  in  various  duties  until 
next  da}*. 

"Wednesday,  10th.  At  10.30  passed  over  the  Vermont 
Valley  Railroad  to  Bellows  Falls.  There  took  the  Rutland 
and  Burlington  Railroad,  and  passed  up  to  Cavendish,  where 
we  found  the  Green  Mountain  Association  of  Universalists  in 
session. 


292  MEMOIR  OF 

"  Thursday,  llth.  Preached  before  the  body  here  named, 
and  in  the  evening  went  to  Proctorsville,  and  spent  the  night 
with  Rev.  Warren  Skinner. 

"  Friday,  12th.  Left  Proctorsville  at  7  A.M.,  and  arrived  at 
Cambridgeport,  about  130  miles,  at  3  P.M." 

The  meetings  at  Lawrence  and  Cavendish  are  spoken  of  as 
having  been  highly  enjoyable. 

At  the  dinner  on  the  day  of  Commencement  at  Tufts  Col- 
lege, Mr.  Whittemore  presided  by  request  of  President  Ballou, 
who  stated  that,  feeling  exhausted  by  the  labors  of  the  last 
few  days,  he  feared  that,  should  he  attempt  to  preside  on  this 
occasion,  he  might  disturb  them  rather  than  add  to  their 
pleasure.  He  would  therefore  call  on  Rev.  Thomas  Whitte- 
more to  preside  in  his  stead. 

Mr.  Whittemore  thought  it  exceeding!}-  cruel  that  the 
President  after  informing  the  company  that  he  did  not  wish 
to  disturb  them,  should  call  up  a  person  who  would  be  more 
likely  to  do  so  than  any  one  present.  He  welcomed  all  the 
company  to  the  scenes  of  the  day,  especially  the  ladies,  —  who 
had  before  smiled  on  the  prospect  before  them,  —  the  clergy, 
and  all  friends  of  the  College.  This  was  the  first  Commence- 
ment at  Tufts  College.  True,  the  graduating  class  was 
small ;  but  every  thing  was  small  in  its  beginning.  Harvard 
University  had  but  six  graduates  at  its  first  Commencement, 
and  for  some  years  after  not  any.  The  Trustees  of  Tufts  Col- 
lege were  fully  satisfied  with  the  talents  of  the  young  men  \vli<> 
graduated.  He  complimented  the  President  upon  the  success 
that  had  attended  his  labors  and  his  fitness  for  the  position 
he  occupied,  and  in  conclusion  invoked  the  blessing  of  God 
upon  the  institution,  its  founder,  and  friends,  congratulating 
the  former  and  the  donors  upon  the  success  of  the  glorious 
enterprise,  which  had  been  inaugurated  through  their  efforts. 
He  spoke  four  minutes. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMOKE.  293 

After  Mr.  Whittemore  left  home,  on  the  26th  of  August,  he 
was  absent  between  five  and  six  weeks.  He  greatly  enjoyed 
the  Connecticut  State  Convention  held  at  Stafford.  Passing 
on  West,  he  visited  Niagara ;  and  the  Sabbath  found  him 
there.  He  writes  :  "  We  worshipped  God  in  our  own  heart, 
in  the  solitude  of  the  chamber,  and  in  the  deep  groves  of  the 
surrounding  woods.  We  listened  to  hear  the  floods  sing  his 
praise.  Deep  sounded  unto  deep  ;  and,  as  the  solemn  anthem 
was  pealing,  the  breath  of  praise  seemed  to  rise  from  the 
abyss  like  incense  from  the  censer  of  the  great  heart  of  na- 
ture. Never  before  had  we  such  a  sense  of  the  vastness  of 
God's  power.  We  wonder  not  that  the  Psalmist  considered 
all  nature  to  be  animate ;  and  called  upon  the  winds,  the 
hail,  the  snow,  the  floods,  the  vapors  to  praise  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  When  we  look  back  upon  that  Sabbath,  it  is  with 
feelings  of  deepest  reverence." 

Crossing  Suspension  Bridge  at  Niagara,  he  passed  through 
Canada  to  Detroit ;  thence  to  Chicago  and  Milwaukie.  Of 
Michigan  "  city"  he  writes  :  "  The  part  of  it  through  which 
we  passed  was  distinguished  for  sand-hills,  repair-shops  of 
the  railroad,  old  cars,  old  rails,  old  wheels,  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing.  There  must  have  been  some  part  of  the  city  we  did 
not  see,  or  it  would  not  be  called  a  city."  His  first  appear- 
ance in  Chicago  is  rather  humorously  described  :  "  We  are  at 
the  depot.  On  emerging  from  the  cars,  we  looked  up  to  the 
roof.  The  structure  —  the  immense  trusses  —  amazed  us. 
The  floor  of  this  depot  seemed  almost  as  large  as  Boston 
Common  :  I  am  sure  it  was  as  large  as  a  part  of  it.  But 
what  a  noise  !  men  must  be  hired  here  on  purpose  to  make  a 
noise.  I  am  confident  they  would  not  make  so  great  a  noise 
if  they  did  not  expect  a  reward  for  it.  Eveiy  one  speaks 
with  ah1  his  might,  as  loud  and  as  rapidly  as  he  can.  Some 
are  crying  the  names  of  steamboats,  their  points  of  destina- 


294  MEMOIR  OF 

tion,  and  hours  of  departure  ;  others  vociferate  the  names  of 
hotels,  setting  forth  some  favorable  characteristic  of  each. 
Some  cry,  '  Hack  ! '  others,  '  Omnibus  line  this  way,  sir  ! ' 
'  Dis  way,  Master ! '  '  American  House  ! '  '  Tremont  House  ! ' 
'  Deutsches  Haus  ! '  '  Richmond  House  ! '  '  Hotel  du  Peuple  ! ' 
ah1,  all  mixed  in  one  grand  Babel.  We  bore  it  well,  until  one 
rude  fellow  laid  hold  of  us  who  seemed  determined  to  have  us, 
until  we  asked  him,  '  could  he  lend  us  ten  dollars  ? '  when 
he  instantly  forsook  us  as  a  man  having  no  cash ! "  His 
description  of  Milwaukie  is  well  given. 

He  visits  Chicago  again,  and  thence  goes  to  Springfield,  111., 
where  he  preached  on  the  Sabbath.  In  this  neighborhood,  he 
visited  the  relatives  of  Mrs.  Whittemore.  Leaving  Springfield^ 
he  returned  to  Chicago,  and  attended  the  United  States  Con- 
vention which  was  held  there.  The  meetings  were  very  fully 
attended,  and  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  during  the  session.  On 
his  return  from  Chicago  to  the  East,  he  visited  Niagara  again. 
Two  accidents  occurred  here  which  seemed  to  imperil  the  lives 
of  Mr.  Whittemore  and  his  company.  One  was,  the  breaking 
of  an  iron  on  the  carriage  as  they  were  descending  a  danger- 
ous place  near  the  edge  of  a  precipice ;  the  other  was,  their 
coming  near  a  railroad-crossing  when  a  locomotive  was  close 
upon  them.  They  escaped  all  injury,  and  had  new  occasion 
for  thanksgiving  to  the  Providential  Guardian  of  his  children 
amidst  the  dangers  of  life.  In  a  day  or  two  he  was  at  his 
own  home  again. 

There  could  hardly  be  a  more  explicit  or  comprehensive 
statement  than  this,  in  one  of  his  editorials,  entitled  "  Various 
Kinds  of  Universalists."  "  Reader,  what  kind  of  a  Universal- 
ist  are  you?  There  are  different  kinds,  such  as  theoretical 
and  practical,  zealous  and  frigid,  those  who  understand  the 
system  and  those  who  understand  it  not.  Here  are  six  kinds 
in  this  brief  enumeration.  Reader,  to  which  of  these  kinds 


THOMAS    WUITTEMORE.  295 

do  you  beloug?  Of  all  kinds,  frigid,  theoretical  Universalists 
are  the  worst ;  and  we  are  sorry  that  there  should  be  any 
such.  A  person  should  be  at  once  a  practical,  zealous, 
understanding  Universalist.  Understand  the  doctrine  ;  study 
it ;  read  books  and  sermons  carefully,  and  particularly  the 
Bible.  Rend  your  denominationaf*journal.  Fill  3'our  mind 
with  knowledge  on  this  subject.  When  }'ou  understand  the 
doctrine,  act  it,  practise  it.  Do  every  thing  as  a  Uuiversal- 
ist ;  remember  in  every  thing  that  }'ou  are  such.  It  will 
make  you  hate  profaneness  and  cursing  and  bitterness  and 
wrath  and  auger.  Be  zealous,  and  not  lukewarm.  Be  not 
a  doubtful  Universalist.  You  will  be  an  example  to  others  ; 
and  you  must  be  just  such  a  Universalist  as  you  wish  them  to 
be." 

A  conference  of  much  interest  was  held  at  Roxbury,  on 
Wednesday,  Oct.  14.  It  was  called  "  to  consider  the  need 
and  the  means  of  awakening  and  developing  more  spiritual 
life  and  religious  feeling  in  our  order."  Mr.  AVhittemore  was 
present,  and  made  some  very  practical  and  fervent  remarks 
on  the  occasion.  Rev.  W.  II.  Ryder,  pastor  of  the  Universal- 
ist Church,  presided. 

A  visit  to  Barnstable,  in  November,  is  noted.  He  was 
welcomed  there  by  Deacon  David  Parker,  fomierl}'  of  the  First 
Universalist  Church  in  Boston.  The  place  of  public  service 
was  the  Town  House.  "  A  crowd  of  carriages  was  around 
it.  nnd  scores  of  persons  were  waiting  for  the  hour  of  sen-ice. 
We' entered  the  house,"  writes  Mr.  Whittemore,  ''unhappy, 
because  unwell.  But  the  occasion,  the  singing,  and  other 
circumstances,  soon  gave  a  better  tone  to  our  feelings.  We 
preached  to  a  congregation  who  gave  us  a  fixed  attention 
for  the  truth's  and  not  for  the  speaker's  sake.  In  the  after- 
noon, we  had  a  slightly  increased  congregation,  so  that 
the  brethren  seemed  cheerful  and  grateful  to  see  that  so 


296  MEMOIR   OF 

man}*  had  come  together  to  worship  God  in  Barnstable 
Town  House." 

He  was  called  to  attend  the  funeral  of  Deacon  X.  Froth- 
ingham,  of  the  Universalist  Church  in  Salem,  Mass.  The 
Deacon  was  an  aged  and  honored  believer  in  the  Abra- 
ham ic  faith.  Fifty  years'before  his  death,  h.e  had  welcomed 
Rev.  John  Murray  to  his  house,  and  obtained  him  to  preach 
the  Gospel  of  a  world's  salvation  in  Salem.  He  took  his  own 
family  Bible  to  the  place  of  the  meeting,  from  which  book 
Mr.  Murray  read  his  text.  The  volume  was  preserved  ever 
afterwards  as  a  relic  of  that  event.  The  Deacon  stood  very 
high  in  the  estimation  of  his  fellow-citizens.  The  funeral  was 
at  the  church,  where  a  conference  for  the  day  had  been  ap- 
pointed. This  was  its  first  service,  —  a  solemn  and  impressive 
one.  Rev.  S.  Ellis,  Rev.  E.  G.  Brooks,  and  Rev.  Dr. 
Thompson,  of  Salem,  took  part  in  the  service.  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  was  called  upon  to  deliver  the  address,  in  the  absence 
of  Rev.  S.  Streeter,  of  Boston,  who  was  kept  at  home  by  ill- 
ness. The  conference  exercises  were  held  in  the  church  in 
the  afternoon.  Mr.  Whittemore  writes  of  the  meeting  :  "We 
are  confident  it  will  do  good.  It  was  devotional,  animated, 
evangelical,  experimental,  practical." 

A  conference  largely  attended,  and  of  deep  interest,  was 
held  in  Worcester,  on  Wednesda}",  Dec.  16.  It  opened  with 
an  address  by  Rev.  Russell  A.  Ballon,  on  "The  Inward 
Christian  Life,"  which  was  followed  through  the  day  and 
evening  with  many  addresses  of  ministers  and  laymen.  Dr. 
Alonzo  Hill  (Unitarian) ,  of  Worcester,  was  among  the  speak- 
ers. Mr.  Whittemore  made  some  veiy  timely  and  earnest 
remarks  on  family  devotion,  urging  it  upon  all  who  had  not 
yet  given  attention  to  it. 

A  visit  to  Rockport,  Mass.,  is  noted  in  the  Trumpet. 
"Nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  had  elapsed  since  we  visited 


THOMAS    WHLTTEMORE.  297 

this  town.  The  weather  on  Saturday  seemed  to  threaten  a 
storm  ;  but  Sunday  was  clear  and  bright.  There  were  two 
services.  Large  audiences  were  in  attendance.  We  looked 
in  vain  for  our  old  friends,  whom  we  knew  years  before. 
They  were  almost  all  gone.  Those  who  were  then  young 
men,  and  whom  death  has  spared,  are  now  advanced  in  life ; 
and  such  as  were  then  fathers  have  nearly  all  passed  away. 
The  society  here  has  been  afflicted  with  a  frequent  change  of 
pastors." 

A  conference  at  Lawrence  is  attended  by  Mr.  Whittemore, 
on  Wednesday,  Jan.  20,  1858.  The  meetings  were  all  edify- 
ing, as  Mr.  Whittemore  reports  them ;  growing  in  interest 
through  the  day  and  evening.  The  opening  address  by 
Rev.  Sumner  Ellis,  was  on  the  development,  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  spiritual  life.  Man}- speakers  followed,  Mr.  Whit- 
temore among  them.  He  speaks  in  strong  terms  of  the 
evening  service.  "For  fifteen  years,"  he  writes,  "we  had 
not  enjoyed  a  meeting  like  this.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was 
there.  It  was  the  house  of  God,  the  gate  of  heaven.  We 
need  not  state  who  led  in  pra}-er,  for  all  prayed.  Clergymen 
and  laymen  testified  of  the  value  of  the  Christian  religion.  A 
Methodist  brother  gave  us  his  experience,  and  uttered  inter- 
esting reminiscences  of  the  Universalist  preachers  whom  he 
used  to  hear  in  his  youth.  He  loved,  he  said,  the  spirit  of 
tliis  meeting.  He  felt  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ  was  here. 
At  the  later  part  of  the  meeting,  the  speeches  were  ruled  down 
to  five  minutes  in  length.  Nine  o'clock  came,  but  we  were 
not  ready  to  part.  One  after  another  rose,  until  at  last  the 
whole  sen-ices  were  closed  by  praj-er,  about  thirty  minutes 
past  nine." 

A  Sabbath  was  spent  in  Middleboro',  Mass.,  Feb.  7.  "The 
meeting  was  held  in  American  Hall,  —  a  very  large  room,  — 
at  the  principal  village  called  the  '  Four  Corners.'  People 


298  MEMOIR    OF 

came  in  from  neighboring  towns,  and  a  large  number  of  the 
citizens  of  Middleboro'  gathered  together.  The  afternoon 
meeting  was  very  full.  We  preached  A.M.  from  Acts  xxviii. 
22,  and  P.M.  from  Heb.  x.  23.  In  the  eA'ening,  we  went  to 
the  north  part  of  the  town,  and  delivered  a  lecture  in  a  large 
new  school-house.  More  than  could  be  accommodated  with 
places  to  stand  were  present.  Excepting  the  excessive  labor, 
we  enjoyed  a  very  happy  day." 

In  his  paper  of  Feb.  20,  Mr.  Whittemore  notices  a  book 
which  had  been  before  the  public  for  some  little  time,  en- 
titled, "  Debt  and  Grace,  as  related  to  the  Doctrine  of  a 
Future  Life,"  by  C.  F.  Hudson.  The  volume  attracted  much 
attention  because  of  its  author's  advocacy  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  annihilation  of  the  wicked  in  opposition  to  that  of  eternal 
punishment.  It  is  notable,  too,  on  account  of  the  ability  of 
its  author,  and  his  very  clear  and  strong  arguments  against 
the  doctrine  of  the  endless  torment  of  the  ' k  finally  impeni- 
tent ; "  and  because,  moreover,  it  was  regarded  as  a  kind  of 
oracular  utterance  on  the  part  of  the  more  scholarly  advocates 
of  the  "  Second  Advent "  theories.  Mr.  Whittemore  writes 
of  the  book :  "  We  have  not  been  so  well  pleased  with  it  as 
we  expected  we  should  be  by  the  notices  we  saw  of  it  in  some 
of  the  public  papers.  The  author  has  been  an  orthodox 
clergyman  ;  but  he  was  troubled  with  the  doctrine  of  endless 
punishment.  He  could  not  reconcile  it  with  the  justice  and 
mercy  of  God.  His  brethren  learned  that  he  expressed  his 
doubts  on  that  point,  and  withdrew  their  confidence  from  him. 
He  then  became  a  free  man,  i.e.,  somewhat  free  and  somewhat 
in  bondage.  Although  he  saw  some  of  the  dilliculties  attend- 
ing the  doctrine  of  endless  sin  and  misery,  yet  he  did  not  see 
clearly  the  way  out.  lie  halted  at  the  doctrine  of  annihilation. 
This  latter  doctrine,  it  is  true,  is  a  favorable  modification  of 
the  theory  of  endless  sin  and  pain:  but  it  is  not  the  true 


THOMAS   WHITTEUORE.  299 

'  theodicy,'  —  to  use  our  author's  favorite  word ;  it  is  not  a 
sufficient  vindication  of  the  Divine  justice.  Mr.  Hudson  has 
been  somewhat  of  a  student,  but  he  has  not  studied  the  facts 
nearest  to  him.  He  has  been  so  busily  engaged  in  looking 
after  comets,  that  he  has  not  seen  the  familiar  constellations, 
nor  Venus,  Jupiter,  Saturn ;  no,  nor  even  the  Sun.  The 
great  theodicy.  Universalism,  he  scarcely  seems  to  know  has 
existed  at  all  in  this  country. 

' '  To  a  person  who  has  slightly  gone  over  the  field  of  eccle- 
siastical history  to  see  what  Christian  writers  have  said  on 
the  great  subject  of  reconciling  theology  with  the  justice, 
wisdom,  and  goodness  of  God,  Mr.  Hudson's  book  may 
appear  to  be  a  very  valuable  one.  But  it  is  deficient  in  many 
important  points.  One  of  its  points  of  principal  value  is  the 
history  it  gives  of  the  doctrine  of  annihilation.  But  Mr.  Hud- 
son failed  to  learn  that  there  was  such  a  class  of  people  in  the 
United  States  as  the  Universalists.  Is  not  this  a  singular 
fact?  He  does  not  give  a  sufficient  notice  of  the  great 
'  theodicy '  of  all,  the  doctrine  of  the  final  holiness  and 
happiness  of  all  men.  This  result  is  the  only  sufficient  jus- 
tification of  God  in  the  permission  of  sin,  pain,  and  sorrow  in 
our  world.  Important  as  it  is,  it  is  passed  over  slightly  in 
Mr.  Hudson's  book.  Notwithstanding  this  expression  of  our 
opinion,  we  do  not  den}'  that  the  book  is  a  valuable  one  ;  but 
it  is  valuable  more  in  an  historical  point  of  view  than  for  any 
excellence  it  has  as  a  vindication  of  the  divine  government." 

A  conference'  was  held  at  Cambridgeport  on  the  17th  of 
February.  It  opened  with  an  address,  presenting  the  leading 
theme  of  the  day,  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams,  of  AVorcester,  — 
"  Religious  Culture  in  the  Family."  Speakers  were  read}-  and 
earnest  in  their  addresses.  The  theme  was  taken  up  again 
in  the  afternoon,  Rev.  W.  II.  Ryder  making  the  opening 
address.  There  was  an  evening  meeting  of  much  interest,  a 


300  MEMOIR    OF 

large  number  of  persons,  ministers  and  laymen,  taking  part 
in  it.  Mr.  Whittemore  spoke  frequently  during  the  services, 
and  offered  a  very  fervent  praj^er.  The  remarks  of  Rev.  L. 
R.  Paige  in  the  evening,  on  the  "  Excellency  of  the  Hopes  and 
Consolations  of  the  Gospel,"  were  \ery  impressive.  "  Forty- 
six  years  ago,"  he  said,  "  I  brought  with  me  to  this  city  a 
young  family,  apparently  more  likely  to  survive  me  than  I  to 
survive  them.  They,  and  others  afterwards  added,  are  de- 
parted, and  I  am  left.  During  my  residence  here,  I  have 
followed  six  members  of  ni}-  family  to  the  grave.  However 
they  may  have  seemed  to  others,  they  were  very  dear  to  me  ; 
and,  as  blow  succeeded  blow,  and  limb  after  limb  was  severed 
from  me,  my  heart  was  filled  with  bitterness.  Yet  in  all 
these  afflictions  I  have  found  that  '  God  is  our  refuge  and 
strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble.' "  Mr.  Whittemore 
pronounces  the  meetings  "  spirited,  pleasant,  and  profit- 
able." 

Another  conference  was  held  in  Milford,  Mass.,  on  the 
10th  of  March.  It  was  a  meeting  of  unusual  interest,  because 
of  the  vital  character  of  the  topics  discussed,  the  number  and 
variet}-  of  the  speakers,  and  the  deep  feeling  which  pervaded 
the  services.  The  morning  exercises  were  opened  by  a  very 
able  and  searching  discourse  on  "  Growth  in  Grace,"  by  Rev. 
M.  Goodrich  of  Pawtucket,  R.I.  ;  which  the  pastor  of  the 
Milford  Church,  Rev.  J.  R.  Johnson,  pronounced  "  an  ad- 
mirable production,  sound  in  doctrine  and  forcible  in  spirit." 
Other  speakers  followed,  Mr.  Whittemore  among  them.  In 
the  midst  of  his  first  address,  he  discovered  in  the  audience 
Father  E.  T.  Taylor,  of  Boston,  the  Seaman's  Preacher,  sit- 
ting in  one  of  the  pews  in  the  broad  aisle.  He  exclaimed: 
"  I  am  truly  happy  to  see  Father  Taylor.  I  congratulate  the 
audience  on  the  fact  of  his  presence.  You  will  have  spiritual 
refreshment  before  you  leave  this  meeting,  I  am  quite  sure." 


THOMAS    WUITTE1IORE.  301 

This  was  during  the  afternoon  service.  Father  Taylor  was 
present  in  the  morning,  and  had  spoken  then,  to  great  accept- 
ance. But  as  Mr.  "\Vhittemore  was  not  then  present,  he  plead 
for  an  opportunity  of  listening  himself  to  the  veteran  preacher. 
•'  He  was  impatient  to  hear  him.  Father  Taj'lor,  it  is  true, 
is  a  Methodist ;  but  we  love  him  almost  as  weh1  as  if  he  were 
a  member  of  our  own  body.  Father  Ta}'lor  arose  in  his  pew 
and  said,  '  I  had  my  opportunity  in  the  forenoon,  brother. 
It  will  not  be  proper  for  me  to  consume  an}'  more  of  your 
time.'  But  to  this  Mr.  Whittemore  replied  from  his  place, 
'  Yes,  I  heard  that  you  gave  the  people  large  draughts  of  the 
water  of  life  this  morning,  Father  Taylor,  but  I  was  not  here, 
and  did  not  get  one  drop  of  it.' 

"Father  Taylor  came  into  the  broad  aisle.  He  is  now 
verging  towards  seventy  years  ;  his  head  is  gray  ;  but  his  e}-e 
is  full  of  fire  ;  his  voice  is  strong  ;  his  soul  has  great  energy  ; 
and  yet  he  is  at  times  exceedingly  tender  and  affectionate. 
He  said  that  he  felt  like  a  little  child.  [He  had  not  spoken 
but  a  few  moments  before  the  audience  were  in  tears.]  I  find 
that  I  know  but  little  about  3-011  and  your  church,  niy  brethren. 
I  am  almost  ashamed  of  myself  that  I  did  not  know  you  better. 
Such  a  meeting  as  this  I  have  seldom  attended.  It  draws 
1113-  heart  towards  you.  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
be  upon  \OVL  !  "  He  had  thought  much,  he  said,  as  to  the 
best  way  to  gain  certain  individuals  he  had  known.  He  had 
tried  many  ways  to  reach  them.  Prayer,  said  he,  is  a  good 
thing,  but  pra3"er  did  not  always  accomplish  the  object.  He 
was  afraid  of  dr}-  pra}-ers.  The}-  did  little  good.  You  were 
not  sure  to  reach  the  heart  by  such  prayers.  He  spoke  of  the 
benefit  of  praise,  issuing  from  a  sense  of  God's  love,  God's 
mercy  and  forgiveness,  —  his  reaching  out  after  the  sinner  to 
draw  him  back  to  heaven,  as  we  reach  down  after  a  drowning 
man.  Sometimes,  said  he,  when  I  cannot  get  my  men  (the 


302  MEMOIR  OF 

sailors)  to  pray,  I  reach  them  b}*  getting  them  to  praise  God. 
God  asks  man  to  offer  unto  him  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving. 
It  is  impossible  to  mingle  in  praise  without  melting  the  heart. 
When  we  get  men  to  praising  God,  said  he,  they  will  begin 
to  serve  him. 

From  this  train  of  thought,  he  turned  to  relate  a  few  inci- 
dents in  the  lives  of  3'oung  sailors  whom  he  had  known.     One 

concerning   Edward was    inexpressibly   tender    and 

affecting.  Edward  had  a  pious  mother ;  she  loved  him, 
doated  upon  him.  There  was  a  thrilling  incident  of  his 
coming  home  one  very  dark  night,  when  the  mother  had 
promised  to  put  a  h'ght  in  the  window,  to  guide  him  to  the 
house.  The  narration  was  given  admirably.  No  one  who 
was  there  that  afternoon  will  ever  forget  the  "  light  in  tlu; 
window."  It  became  a  metaphor  for  religion  in  the  family  of 
Edward's  mother.  Edward  went  to  sea,  and  the  affectionate 
mother  died  during  his  absence.  She  left  her  dying  word  for 
her  son.  She  left  him  by  bequest  her  old  Bible  and  the  stand 
on  which  it  lay.  "  Tell  Edward,  when  he  returns,"  said  she, 
"that  I  am  gone  home,  and  he  will  remain  in  this  dark 
world."  [The  style  of  the  preacher  was  so  touching  here 
that  tears  flowed  freely  in  all  parts  of  the  house.]  "  Tell  him 
to  follow  after  me ;  to  come  where  I  am  gone,  and  beseech 
him  not  to  forget  the  light  in  the  window.  And  when  he 
passes  through  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,"  said 
the  dying  woman,  "  he  shall  see  on  high  the  light  in  the  win- 
dow of  the  house  not  made  with  hands,  where  I  shall  be 
waiting  for  him."  "We  cannot,"  writes  Mr.  WThittemore, 
••  pursue  this  description :  we  can  do  it  no  manner  of  justice. 
A  theme  so  rich,  in  Father  Taylor's  style,  is  insipid  when  we 
undertake  to  repeat  it.  He  told  other  incidents  in  the  lives 
of  some  of  his  sailors.  At  last  he  closed  by  lifting  his  eyes 
and  hands  to  heaven,  and  invoking  with  tremulous  voice  a 


THOMAS    \VHITTEMORE.  303 

blessing  on  his  dear  brethren  with  whom  he  had  enjoyed  the 
pleasure  of  meeting  on  that  day.  It  was  some  time  before 
the  attention  could  be  turned  from  this  address  to  other  parts 
of  the  service." 

During  this  year,  there  was  a  wide-spread  religious  interest 
in  all  parts  of  the  country.  The  various  Christian  sects 
shared  in  it ;  the  Universalists  among  them.  As  an  observer 
and  chronicler  of  passing  events,  Mr.  Whittemore  could  not 
fail  to  have  a  strong  interest  in  the  whole  movement.  He 
spoaks  freely  in  reference  to  it,  and  expresses  an  earnest 
desire  that  his  own  church  might  share  in  its  blessings,  and 
that  all  the  churches  might  be  able  to  discriminate  between 
the  genuine  and  spurious,  the  false  and  the  true.  We  append 
some  of  his  reflections  on  the  whole  subject :  — 

"  There  is  said  to  be  a  great  revival  of  religion  now  in 
progress  all  over  our  land.  That  there  is  a  great  excitement 
is  indisputable.  There  will  be  some  chaff  among  the  wheat, 
perhaps  a  good  deal,  of  chaff,  but  there  will  be  some  wheat 
too.  We  are  in  favor  of  revivals  of  pure  and  undefiled  re- 
ligion. We  pray  for  more  love  of  God,  more  love  of  truth, 
more  love  of  Christ,  more  faithfulness  to  him  in  our  heart ; 
more  zeal  among  Universalists ;  less  coldness,  indifference, 
worldly-mindedness.  We  would  rejoice  to  see  a  true  revival 
of  religion  reaching  from  one  end  of  our  land  unto  the  other. 
We  may  speak  of  the  community  in  three  points  of  view: 
1st.  As  having  ti'ue  revivals  ;  2d.  As  having  false  revivals ; 
and  3d.  As  having  no  revivals  at  all.  There  are  no  revivals 
at  all  when  every  thing  is  dull,  indifferent,  dead.  This  is  like 
a  treacherous  calm  at  sea.  It  cannot  always  last :  if  it  did 
the  waters  would  stagnate.  Such  a  state  of  things  is  more 
likely  to  end  in  a  destructive  storm,  which  we  describe  as  a 
false  revival,  where  every  thing  is  thrown  into  disorder ;  a 
wild  excitement  reigns,  and  perhaps  great  harm  will  be  done. 


304  MEMOIR   OF 

A  true  revival  is  when  hearts  are  warmed  anew  by  the  love 
of  God  ;  when  the  Saviour's  love  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts ; 
when  saints  are  quickened  into  a  higher  degree  of  life,  and 
sinners  are  turned  from  the  evil  of  their  waj^s  ;  when  Chris- 
tians of  different  sects  love  each  other  more  ;  when  there  is 
less  contention,  less  bitterness  in  one  sect  towards  another. 
Some  persons  think  they  love  God,  when  they  love  chiefly  their 
sect ;  they  hate  others  ;  and  this  is  nearly  all  the  religion  they 
have.  But  this  is  not  the  spirit  of  Christ's  religion.  Uni- 
versalists  desire  a  revival  of  Christ's  religion ;  more  brotherly 
kindness,  more  charity.  \Ve  pray  God  to  preside  over  the 
revival  now  in  Boston,  and  conduct  it  to  a  good  end ;  purge 
it  of  every  particle  of  unholy  feeling,  and  make  it  glorious  in 
holiness  and  love.  Then  there  will  be  more  justice,  more 
benevolence,  more  humanity  among  us.  Universalists  will 
aid  in  ah1  good  revivals,  and  discountenance  all  bad  ones. 
The  Lord  gave  the  Uuiversalists  of  Boston  a  new  dispensa- 
tion of  h'fe  last  autumn.  In  that  sweet  conference  meeting 
in  Roxbury,  on  the  14th  of  October,  we  felt  that  the  work 
had  begun  with  us ;  and  it  has  been  going  on  ever  since. 
From  that  time  to  this  it  has  not  ceased  among  us.  But  yet 
Universalists  are  far  below  what  they  ought  to  be.  "We  must 
go  up  higher ;  we  must  rise  from  mountain  to  mountain  until 
we  stand  on  the  highest  peak." 

In  concluding  a  sensible  article  on  the  "  Philosoplry  of 
Revivals,"  in  which  he  vindicates  the  Universalists  against 
the  unjust  accusation  of  their  being  opposed  to  them,  and 
showing  how  read}-  many  of  them  are  to  aid  in  the  work  of 
religious  awakening  and  Christian  h'fe,  he  speaks  thus  faith- 
fully and  pointedly  in  reference  to  those  professed  Universa- 
lists who  take  but  little  or  no  interest  in  such  manifestations 
of  their  faith.  His  words  are  worthy  of  being  remembered 
by  ah1  who  read  them. 


THOMAS    WH  ITT  I-:. MO  RE.  305 

"  We  have  thus  given  our  own  mind  on  revivals  of  religion. 
On  the  whole  we  approve  of  them.  There  is  much  that  is 
bad  in  them :  there  is  much  that  is  good.  The  principal 
difficulty  of  which  we  have  to  complain  is  that  Universalists 
do  not  participate  in  them  as  they  ought  to  do.  Would  to 
God  that  every  Universalist  Church  and  Society  could  have 
a  time  of  refreshing  at  least  once  a  }*ear.  We  need  it.  If 
we  had  it,  our  churches  would  not  remain  as  stagnant  and 
dead  as  some  of  them  now  are.  Why  are  the}'  so  backward? 
Why  is  church  organization  so  much  neglected  among  us? 
Why  are  some  of  our  churches  so  cold  and  even  dead?  They 
have  a  name  to  live  only.  Some  of  them  never  knew  what 
a  revival  is.  They  are  moral  grave}-ards :  the  dead  are 
buried  there.  Some  of  them  have  not  admitted  a  score  of 
members  for  years.  They  never  have  pra3*er-meetings,  nor, 
in  fact,  any  other  kind  of  church  meetings.  They  go  to  the 
communion  table  once  in  a  while,  but  seem  to  act  as  though 
the}*  would  as  soon  omit  it  as  not.  We  lament  this  state  of 
things.  We  had  rather  see  the  wildfire  than  such  coldness. 
We  would  that  there  might  be  kindled  a  fire  once  in  a  while 
like  that  which  the  old  hymn  pleads  for :  — 

'  Come,  Holy  Spirit,  heavenly  dove, 
With  all  thy  quickening  powers  ; 
Come,  shed  abroad  a  Saviour's  lore, 
And  THAT  shall  kindle  ours  ! ' 

Oh  for  such  a  revival  among  our  people  !  The  love  of  God 
can  convert  sinners,  and  nothing  else  can  do  it  so  well.  We 
have  the  love  of  God  in  our  doctrine  :  -we  long  to  see  the 
effects.  '  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly  ! ' ' 

And  once  more,  in  a  brief  article  entitled  "Too  Much 
Zeal:  "  "  One  of  the  strangest  conceits  that  ever  entered  a 
mortal  brain  is  the  fear  expressed  by  some  of  our  brethren 
that  the  Universalists  will  become  too  zealous.  It  is  almost 

20 


306  MEMOIR    OF 

an  impossibility1  for  a  Christian  Universalist  to  have  strange 
fire  upon  his  altar.  Universalism  itself  is  the  safeguard. 
There  is  small  danger  of  wildfire  with  Universalism.  We 
wish  our  alarmists  would  look  out  upon  the  Universalist  de- 
nomination, and  see  which  we  are  most  in  danger  from,  cold- 
ness or  zeal?  Beyond  all  question  it  is  the  former.  We 
sometimes  feel  when  we  visit  certain  Universalist  societies 
as  if  we  were  with  Dr.  Kane  in  the  arctic  regions.  The  ex- 
pression of  the  belief  that  Universalists  are  in  danger  from 
too  much  zeal  will  make  some  of  our  iceberg  saints  feel  very 
happy  in  themselves.  Good  Lord,  quicken  us  !  " 

There  was  a  section  of  Boston  called  the  "  Black  Sea." 
It  had  borne  that  name  for  a  long  time,  because  it  had  been 
a  place  of  infamy.  Abandoned  men  and  women,  drunkards, 
gamblers,  harlots,  thieves,  congregated  there.  They  kept 
shady  and  quiet  by  day,  but  emerged  from  their  dens  and 
went  to  their  dancing-halls  by  night,  and  set  their  nets  to 
catch  the  unwary.  The  revival  in  Boston  had  reached  that 
localit}*.  A  prayer-meeting  was  instituted  and  held  every 
day  in  one  of  the  dancing-halls,  a  large  room  that  would 
contain  one  or  two  hundred  persons.  Mr.  Whittemore  was 
strong!}-  induced  to  visit  the  place,  and  take  part  in  the  relig- 
ious exercises  and  in  reclaiming  the  wandering.  We  present 
his  account  of  his  first  visit  there. 

' '  Little  did  we  know  what  we  were  to  enjoy.  We  expected 
to  be  received  with  coldness,  if  received  at  all ;  but  the  im- 
pulse to  go  was  so  strong,  we  could  not,  or  at  least  did  not, 
resist.  The  first  day  on  which  we  were  present,  one  of  the 
redeemed  harlots  spoke.  She  avowed  her  hope  that  she  had 
turned  once  for  all  from  the  impurity  of  her  ways.  Shr  felt 
that  she  could  not  be  taken  back  again  into  Sodom.  She 
had  escaped  ;  she  had  been  longing  to  escape  ;  and  now  the 
crisis  had  come,  and  she  determined  with  all  the  resolution 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  307 

she  had  (feeble  it  might  be)  to  do  wrong  no  more.  She  was 
a  young  woman  of  talents,  of  personal  beaut}r,  and  evidently 
of  great  decision  of  character. 

"  We  said  to  ourself,  Shall  Universalists  see  such  a  revival 
going  on  in  Boston  and  take  no  part  in  it  ?  It  must  not  be 
that  we  hold  back." 

At  the  first  meeting,  Mr.  Whittemore  was  a  silent  specta- 
tor ;  but  his  soul  was  deeply  moved.  A  few  days  after  he 
went  again,  and  took  part  in  the  exercises.  He  spoke  of  the 
need  and  excellency  of  the  true  religious  life,  and  his  words 
seemed  very  welcome  to  all  present.  Of  the  third  meeting 
which  he  attended,  he  writes  : — 

"  Father  Taylor  was  there  (the  same  who  was  at  Milford), 
and  we  had  another  opportunity  to  grasp  his  hand.  He  did 
not  know  that  we  had  been  in  the  meeting  before.  We  want 
to  hear  your  voice,  said  he :  this  is  a  free  meeting.  Rev. 
Perez  Mason  (the  City  Missionary)  presided.  He  sings, 
prays,  and  talks  readily.  We  made  an  address  on  the  intrin- 
sic value  of  religion.  Religion  consists  in  love  to  God,  and 
love  to  man.  and  in  a  good  life. 

'  More  needful  this  than  glittering  wealth, 
Or  aught  the  world  bestows.' 

' '  We  turned  to  those  who  professed  to  have  been  con- 
verted. We  said.  '  Have  you  enlisted  under  Christ  for  a  day? 
or  have  you  given  yourself  to  him  for  a  life  service  ?  Shall 
you  ever  fall  back  into  sin.'  There  was  much  weeping. 
It  called  to  mind  the  words  :  — 

'  AVere  not  the  sinful  Mary's  tears 

An  offering  worthy  heaven, 
'When  o'er  the  faults  of  former  years, 

She  wept,  and  was  forgiven.' 

"  Whether  these  converts  will  fall  away  or  not,  we  do  not 
positively  know ;  but  if  men  make  no  efforts  to  convert  sin- 


308  MEMOIR    OF 

ners  because  they  may  fall  away,  we  shall  never  do  any  thing 
for  sinners.  In  a  private  conversation  with  Father  Mason, 
he  said,  '  His  duty  was  to  lift  the  fallen  on  to  their  feet.  He 
did  not  know  but  they  would  fall  again  ;  but  if  they  did  we 
must  lift  them  up  again.' 

"  One  layman  prayed  (we  were  all  kneeling),  with  great 
solemnity,  that  sinners  might  be  saved  now ;  they  needed 
salvation  now  ;  salvation  from  sin,  from  darkness,  from  un- 
belief, from  evil  wa}-s  of  drunkenness,  from  cruelty  now.  He 
prayed  for  the  inmates  of  the  dark  holes  of  infamy ;  for  cruel 
husbands  infuriated  by  rum  who  abused  their  wives  and 
children ;  he  prayed  for  the  tempted,  the  fallen,  the  polluted, 
and  abandoned.  He  prayed  in  some  respects  like  a  man  who 
believed  in  endless  punishment ;  but  there  was  much  in  his 
pra3*er  that  was  lovely  and  of  good  report.  We  responded 
at  the  close,  heartily,  '  Amen  ! ' 

"A  brother  rose  (a  perfect  stranger  to  us) .  He  said  he 
was  from  Charlestown.  He  had  brought  to  the  meeting  a 
poor  fallen  brother,  he  said,  —  a  seaman,  a  Swede,  for  whose 
salvation  he  felt  the  most  fervent  desires ;  and  he  wanted 
him  to  be  regarded  as  a  special  subject  of  pra}*er  that  day. 
The  old  seaman  was  deeply  moved.  His  emotion  must  have 
begun  before  he  entered  the  room.  Father  Mason  knelt  down 
with  him,  and  said,  'Let  us  all  pray  for  this  man.'  He 
offered  a  very  fervent  petition ;  so  fervent  and  striking,  that 
it  penetrated  to  the  soul  of  every  one  present.  The  Swede 
trembled,  wept,  ejaculated  promises  of  amendment,  hoped 
God  would  forgive  him.  We  were  all  kneeling.  How  could 
my  soul  refrain  from  pra}-ing?  It  was  not  I  that  prayed, 
but  the  soul  that  dwelt  within  me.  I  praj-ed  for  the  success 
of  such  efforts  to  save  souls  from  sin.  I  prayed  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  revival.  '  Amen  ! '  ejaculated  Father  Taylor, 
*  Amen ! '  I  prayed  that  God  would  show  us  far  greater 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  309 

things  than  we  had  yet  seen.  ['  Bless  the  Lord  ! ']  I  prayed 
that  God  would  continue  the  revival  until  all  the  haunts  of 
sin  should  be  broken  up ;  until  every  sinner  should  bathe  in 
that  fountain  which  had  been  opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness. 
['  Glory  to  God  ! ']  I  prayed  that  God  would  open  the  win- 
dows of  heaven  and  pour  us  out  a  blessing  until  we  should 
not  have  room  to  receive  it.  ['  Amen !  Hallelujah  ! '  shouted 
Father  Taylor.  '  This  is  surely  the  millennium  ! ']  At  the 
close  of  the  service,  we  shook  hands  with  many  who  had 
entered  the  new  life." 


310  MEMOIR    OF 


CHAPTER     XV. 

1858-1859. 

AGED    58-59. 

Anniversary  Week — Speech — Orange,  Mass.  —  Visit  to  Vermont  — 
Commencement  at  Tufts  —  Review  of  Rev.  T.  Starr  King  —  The  Old 
Testament  —  Visit  to  Norway,  Me.  —  Rockingham  Association  — 
Fitchburg  —  Vermont  Convention  at  Bethel  —  Connecticut  Conven- 
tion at  Granby  —  Universalism  conducive  to  Purest  Piety  —  U.S. 
Convention  at  Providence  —  Sippican,  Mass. —  Hinsdale,  N.H. — 
South  Acton,  Mass.  —  Conference  in  Boston  —  In  Roxbury  — Woman 
Preaching  :  Mrs.  Jenkins  —  Nomination  of  a  Minister  for  Con.u 
New  Bedford — Lawrence,  Mass.  —  Methuen  —  Conference  at  Matta- 
poisett  —  At  Worcester  —  Sabbath  in  Lowell  —  Rockport — Marble- 
head  —  Lynn  —  Dr.  Ballou's  Notice  of  Mr.  Whittemore  —  Manches- 
ter, N.H.  —  Dedication  Sermon  at  Cambridgeport  —  North  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.  —  Annisquam  —  Interesting  Incident  —  Visit  to  Milford, 
Mass.  —  Palmer  —  Southbridge  —  Salem  —  The  Main  Question  — 
The  Doctorate. 

ANNIVERSARY  "Week  in  Boston  was  one  of  unusual  interest 
this  year.  The  meetings  of  the  Universalists  were  well 
attended,  and  the  conference  and  prayer  meetings  were 
especially  impressive.  The  Festival  in  Faneuil  Hall  was 
again  a  success.  The  exercises  were  of  a  high  order. 
Lieutenant-Governor  E.  Trask  presided.  Addresses  wore 
made  by  Rev.  Messrs.  T.  B.  Thayer,  A.  D.  Mayo,  B.  M. 
Tillotson,  A.  C.  Thomas,  T.  S.  King,  T.  AVhittemore,  and 
Governor  X.  P.  Banks.  Mr.  "Whittemore's  speech  wa<  as 
humorous,  pathetic,  patriotic,  and  varied  as  ever.  In  his 
allusions  to  Universalism  and  the  American  Revolution,  he 
was  quite  happy.  "Universalism  and  the  Revolution."  he 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  3H 

said.  "  began  to  rise  together  at  North  End,  the  glorious  old 
North  End  of  Boston.  They  were  rocked  together  in  the 
same  stormy  days,  in  the  cradle  of  American  Liberty.  Uni- 
versalism  has  been  rising  like  the  leading  star,  like  the  true 
church,  clear  as  the  sun,  fair  as  the  moon,  and  terrible  as  an 
arm}-  with  banners.  The  banner  of  Uuiversalism  is  love. 
Let  that  banner  be  lifted  up.  I  see  it  borne  aloft,  pure, 
white,  steady  ;  and  I  read  the  inscription  thereon,  '  Hope  for 
every  soul,'  for  every  creed-bound,  affrighted,  crushed  soul, 
hope  ! 

"  So  shall  it  be  ere  long,  we  trust,  with  the  banner  of  our 
country.  It  shall  symbol  yet  the  true  idea  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  '  all  men  are  created  free  and  independent.' 
I  look  forward  to  the  time  when  our  flag  shall  wave  in  unsul- 
lied glory,  not  over  smoking  ruins,  not  merely  at  the  mast- 
head of  our  battle-ships,  not  merely  on  bloody  fields,  not 
merely  from  the  parapets  of  our  forts.  I  look  to  a  higher 
victory.  I  look  to  great  moral  achievements,  for  I  shall  see 
parties  overturned  and  overturned,  until  the  best  shall  at  last 
arise  ;  and  I  shall  see  that-  national  banner  floating  out,  not 
only  from  the  dome  of  the  Capitol,  but  from  the  dome  of  the 
Temple  of  Justice,  the  highest  glory  of  the  nation  and  of  the 
world.  The  stars  and  stripes  and  the  white  banner  shall  be 
seen  together,  the  one  floating  in  the  wind,  the  other  upheld 
by  steady  hands,  over  slaves  redeemed,  sinners  converted, 
cruel  statutes  abolished,  Kansas  happy  and  free,  the  people 
united,  and  the  North  and  the  South  one. 

"Before  I  close,"  said  he,  "I  must  say  a  few  words  in 
regard  to  the  localities  of  the  Revolution  in  the  vicinity  of 
Boston.  Our  societies  are  established  almost  in  the  very 
places  where  the  forts,  the  strong  places  of  defence  against 
tyranny,  stood.  At  the  base  of  Bunker  Hill,  you  have  a 
society,  whose  pastor,  although  a  Scotchman  born,  has  many 


312  MEMOIR   OF 

high  regards  for  his  adopted  land.  Two  societies  are  there 
in  Cambridge,  the  headquarters  of  Washington  during  the 
siege  of  Boston.  Thus  we  see  the  resemblance  between  the 
moral  and  political  revolutions  of  those  days.  At  Roxbury, 
•  where  there  was  one  of  the  most  important  points  of  de- 
fence in  the  old  war,  you  have  now  a  noble  society  under 
the  charge  of  our  excellent  brother,  Rev.  W.  H.  Ryder.  At 
Dorchester  Heights  (South  Boston  now) ,  there  is  a  society, 
under  the  pastorship  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Dean,  who  is  seeking 
b}r  his  wise  labors  to  aid  in  driving  sin  and  error  out  of  the 
city  altogether.  Would  that  these  evils  might  be  put  on 
board  their  respective  crafts,  go  out  of  the  harbor,  and  inner 
be  heard  of  more.  In  the  city  itself,  you  have  a  host  of  good 
men,  like  the  true  patriots  of  1775,  who  gave  the  adversaries 
of  liberty  great  disquiet,  and  were  ever  active  in  the  good 
cause.  At  Somerville,  there  is  also  a  society,  under  the  pas- 
torship of  Rev.  Gr.  H.  Emerson,  devoted  to  the  great  idea  of 
universal  love,  standing  almost  on  Prospect  Hill,  a  point  of 
great  interest  in  olden  time.  And  on  another  of  those  emi- 
nences, the  spot  where  the  troops  of  Burgoym>  were  quar- 
tered after  they  were  brought  prisoners  to  Massachusetts, 
stands  now  that  young  but  noble  institution,  Tufts  College. 
Truly  we  may  say,  Faneuil  Hall  and  Universalism ,  —  the 
Revolution  of  the  Country  and  of  its  Religion  simultaneous." 
He  concluded  his  speech  with  a  strong  plea  for  Tufts  Col- 
lege, and  expressed  it  as  his  belief  that  this  was  the  last 
anniversary  he  should  ever  attend  in  Faneuil  Hall.  A  few 
weeks  afterwards  he  wrote :  "  It  seems  to  us  that  we  never 
shall  cease  talking  about  the  enjoyments  of  Anniversary 
Week.  It  was  the  week  of  weeks.  We  shall  never  see 
another  like  it  on  earth." 

Mr.  Whittemore  was   not  present   at   the  Massachusetts 
Convention,  which  held  its  session  this  year  in  Quincy. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  313 

The  Universalist  church  in  Orange,  Mass.,  was  dedicated 
on  the  16th  of  June.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present,  and  gave 
the  Address  to  the  Society. 

The  last  of  June,  he  journeyed  to  Vermont,  and  attended 
the  "SViudham  Association  at  West  Halifax.  He  preached  on 
the  last  afternoon  of  the  meeting  to  a  very  large  congregation. 
The  journey  to  him  was  highly  enjoyable. 

He  was  at  the  Commencement  exercises  at  Tufts  College, 
July  14.  He  presided  at  the  collation,  and  made  a  short  but 
very  encouraging  speech  in  reference  to  the  present  condition 
and  prospects  of  the  institution. 

Sometime  this  }*ear,  Rev.  Dr.  Xehemiah  Adams,  of  Boston, 
had  delivered  a  discourse  in  advocacy  of  the  doctrine  of  endless 
punishment.  Rev.  T.  Starr  King,  pastor  of  the  Hollis  Street 
(Unitarian)  church,  invited  the  Doctor  to  repeat  the  dis- 
course in  his  pulpit,  which  he  consented  to  do.  Mr.  King 
forthwith  replied  to  it.  in  two  discourses,  which  were  soon 
afterwards  published.  In  a  notice  of  his  reply,  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  expresses  his  strong  dissent  from  some  of  the  statements 
advanced  by  Mr.  King ;  especially  declarations  like  these : 
"I  do  not  find  the  doctrine  of  the  ultimate  salvation  of  all 
souls  clearly  stated  in  any  text,  or  in  any  discourse  that  has 
been  reported  from  the  lips  of  Christ.  I  do  not  think  we  can 
fairly  maintain  that  the  final  restoration  of  all  men  is  a  promi- 
nent and  explicit  doctrine  of  the  four  Gospels ;  but  all  the 
principles  glow  there,  vivid  as  the  sunlight,  that  are  required 
to  give  us  the  most  consoling  trust  in  God  through  eternity, 
and  the  most  cheering  hope  for  man." 

In  reply  to  these  statements,  Mr.  AVhittemore  writes : 
"  AVith  the  utmost  good- will  to  Mr.  King,  we  feel  obliged  to 
declare  that  we  object  most  decidedh*  to  these  statements  of 
his.  They  may  be  his  opinions  :  we  are  quite  sure  they  are 
not  ours,  nor  those  of  Universalists  in  general.  In  fact,  they 


314  MEMOIR    OF 

are  not  those  of  all  Unitarians  ;  for  there  are  scores  of  the  latter 
who  hold  that  the  doctrine  of  the  final,  universal  happiness  of 
men  is  a  plainly  revealed  doctrine  of  the  Word  of  God."  He 
notes  the  eagerness  with  which  the  (orthodox)  Recorder  takes 
up  this  admission  of  Mr.  King,  and  asks  him  how  he  can 
dare  hold  and  advocate  a  doctrine  which  he  fails  to  find  in  the 
Gospels?  Against  these  statements  of  the  Hollis  Street 
pastor,  Mr.  Whittemore  gives  his  convictions  in  reference 
to  the  teachings  of  the  New  Testament  on  this  great  subject, 
—  the  salvation  of  all  souls. 

In  an  article  in  the  Universal i 'st  Quarterly  for  October,  1858, 
Mr.  Whittemore  reviews  the  two  discourses  of  Mr.  King. 
The  review  is  very  tender  in  spirit,  because  of  the  kind  re- 
gard of  the  writer  towards  the  author  of  the  discourses  ;  but 
it  is  at  the  same  time  very  plain  and  searching.  In  answer 
to  the  question,  "Is  Universalism  Revealed  in  the  Four 
Gospels  ?  "  he  shows  very  plainly  that  the  whole  drift  of  the 
Gospels  is  in  the  direction  of  this  idea.  The  -Samaritans 
learned  from  the  instructions  of  Jesus  himself  that  he  was 
"  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world"  (John  iv.  42). 
The}'  knew  nothing  about  the  matter  except  what  they  learned 
from  him.  He  affirmed,  moreover,  that  "-all  things,"  — 
meaning  all  intellectual  beings  —  had  been  committed  to  his 
care,  and  that  he  should  labor  for  their  welfare,  and  would 
suffer  no  one  to  draw  them  out  of  his  hand.  "  All  things  are 
delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father"  (Matt.  xi.  27).  "The 
Father  loveth  the  Son,  and  hath  given  all  things  into  his 
hands  "  (John  iii.  35) .  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
come  to  me  "  (John  vi.  37) .  "  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me  "  (John  xii.  32) .  The 
drawing  of  all  men  to  him  was  just  as  sure  as  the  fact  of  his 
being  lifted  up  from  the  earth  on  the  cross.  Other  proofs 
from  the  Gospels  and  Epistles  are  brought  forward  to  show 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  315 

how  Christ  spoke  of  the  extensiveness  of  his  work  of  salva- 
tion, and  how  the  Apostles  understood  his  mission  with  man. 
His  quotations  from  the  Apostles,  and  his  whole  review,  seem 
to  us  decisive.  He  differed  from  his  younger  brother  in  his 
estimate  of  the  importance  of  the  textual  evidences  of  Uni- 
versalisrn,  and  of  making  its  distinguishing  truth  prominent 
in  all  his  teachings  ;  as  also  in  his  preference  for  the  Uni- 
versalist  Church  above  all  others  as  his  "  chief  joy  "  and  most 
constant  home.  But  he  held  in  very  high  regard  the  rare 
talents  of  this  loyal  soldier  of  the  Cross  ;  and  had  he  lived  to 
witness  his  subsequent  ministry,  would  have  been,  with  many 
others,  thankful  for  the  noble  work  he  wrought  in  the  cause 
of  human  enlightenment  and  regeneration. 

' k  A  young  preacher "  asks  Mr.  Whittemore  the  question, 
"How  do  you  treat  the  Old  Testament  in  your  pulpit  com- 
munications?" Mr.  Whittemore  replies,  in  substance  :  — 

"  I  believe  the  Old  Testament  to  be  a  sacred  book,  an  im- 
portant part  of  the  Bible.  It  always  pains  me  to  hear  any 
one,  especially  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  speak  irreverently  of 
the  Old  Testament ;  and  more  especially  if  that  preacher  be 
a  professed  Universalist.  Jesus  never  expressed  any  disre- 
spect for  the  Old  Testament,  but,  on  the  contrary,  he  always 
spoke  of  it  with  reverence.  We  do  not  deny  that  the  Old 
Testament  was  better  fitted  to  the  condition  of  the  Jews  than 
to  our  condition.  Jesus  never  found  fault  with  the  Jews  for 
believing  too  much  in  Moses ;  but  he  frequently  found  fault 
with  them  for  believing  too  little  in  him.  '  For  had  }-e  be- 
lieved Moses  ye  would  have  believed  me  ;  for  he  wxote  of  me. 
But  if  ye  believe  not  his  writings,  how  shall  ye  believe  my 
words?'  Hence  he  said  to' them,  '  Search  the  Scriptures  ;  for 
in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life  ;  and  the}-  are  they 
which  testify  of  me.'  Moses  and  the  prophets  prophesied  of 
the  coming  of  Christ :  '  We  have  found  him  of  whom  Moses 


316  MEMOIR   OF 

in  the  law  and  the  prophets  did  write,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the 
son  of  Joseph'  (John  i.  45).  'Ami  beginning  at  Moses  and 
all  the  prophets,  he  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures 
the  things  concerning  himself  (Luke  xxiv.  27).  Our  Lord 
was  in  the  habit  of  quoting  distinct  passages  from  the  Old 
Testament,  —  passages  which  announced  the  most  important 
truths.  While  I  seek  to  be  Christ-like,  I  cannot  fail  to 
cherish  a  deep  respect  for  the  Old  Testament.  Paul  cher- 
ished a  profound  respect  for  it.  He  writes  to  Timothy : 
'  From  a  child  thou  hast  known  the  holy  Scriptures,  which 
are  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto  salvation.'  At  Thes- 
salonica,  he  reasoned  much  with  the  Jews  '  out  of  the 
Scriptures.'  Apollos,  we  are  told,  was  '  an  eloquent  man, 
and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures.'  He  '  mightily  convinced  the 
Jews,  and  that  publicly,  showing  by  the  Scriptures  that  Jesus 
was  the  Christ.'  Let  our  young  inquirer  regard  the  Old  Testa- 
ment as  it  was  regarded  by  Christ  and  the  apostles." 

He  makes  a  visit  to  Norway,  Me.  He  preached  there  on 
a  Sunday,  in  the  Universalist  church,  to  a  very  large  and 
deeply  attentive  congregation,  most  of  whom  had  never  heard 
him  before.  He  enjoyed  the  day  highly.  In  the  evening  of 
this  day,  he  delivered  a  lecture  at  Paris  Hill,  in  the  Baptist 
church.  The  Norway  society  is  the  oldest  of  the  order  in 
Maine.  Its  first  meeting  was  held  in  1798. 

This  year  the  Rockingham  Association  was  held  in  Kings- 
ton, N.H.  It  was  verj-  fully  attended,  and  the  congregations 
occupied  two  churches, — the  Universalist  and  Methodist. 
The  Methodist  clergj'man  was  very  cordial,  and  was  in  his 
pulpit  with  our  ministers  during  the  services.  On  the  after- 
noon of  the  last  day,  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  in  the  I'ui- 
versalist  church.  He  writes  :  "  AVe  think  Christianity  gained 
something  in  the  hearts  of  the  people  by  the  influence  of  this 
nirrtmg.  It  was,  taken  altogether,  one  of  the  greatest  meet- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  317 

ings  ever  held  by  the  Association.  It  seemed  as  if  the  times 
oi'  twenty  years  ago  had  come  back  again." 

While  in  attendance  on  the  Union  Association  in  Fitchburg, 
in  August,  Mr.  Whittemore  was  called,  as  a  railroad  officer, 
to  take  part  in  the  celebration  of  the  laying  of  the  Atlantic 
cable.  It  was  an  occasion  of  much  excitement  in  the  place. 
There  was  a  large  assembling  of  people,  and  addresses  were 
made  b}"  Colonel  Ivers  Phillips,  A.  Crocker,  J.  J.  Piper,  and 
P.  E.  Aldrich,  Esqrs.  ;  Rev.  Mr.  Brooks,  and  Judge  Bishop. 
Mr.  Whittemore  was  called  upon,  and  spoke  venT  earnestly 
and  to  great  acceptance,  for  fifteen  minutes.  In  closing,  he 
reminded  the  foreign  population  that  they  were  now  to  live 
within  five  minutes'  communication  of  father  and  mother,  and 
brother  and  sister,  at  home.  They  had  come  to  this  country 
to  live  with  us.  We  must  all  be  friends,  and  forget  all 
national  antipathies,  and  all  religious  differences,  and  live 
together  as  brethren. 

Mr.  Whittemore  preached  during  the  session  of  the  Asso- 
ciation in  the  Universalist  church.  During  the  last  services, 
a  church  was  publicly  recognized,  and  the  communion  service, 
observed.  He  regarded  the  meeting  as  one  long  to  be  re- 
membered by  those  who  attended  it. 

He  journe3'ed  to  Vermont,  through  Keene,  N.H.,  where  he 
spent  a  little  time  in  attention  to  railroad  matters.  He  then 
attended  the  Vermont  Convention,  in  Bethel.  Soon  after  his 
arrival,  he  was  taken  quite  ill ;  and,  failing  to  recover,  re- 
luctantly resolved  to  return  to  his  home.  It  was  a  great 
sorrow  to  him,  for  he  had  anticipated  a  rich  season  at  the 
meeting. 

Soon  after  this,  he  was  able  to  attend  the  Connecticut  Con- 
vention, in  Granby.  The  audiences  increased  so  that  it  was 
resolved  to  hold  the  meeting  on  the  second  da}-  in  a  grove 
near  by.  An  appointment  had  been  made  for  Mr.  Whittemore 


318  MEMOIR    OF 

to  preach  there,  but  he  feared  to  expose  himself  to  such  a 
trial  of  his  strength  just  at  that  time.  He  preached  in  the 
church  in  the  morning,  and  the  meeting  was  held  in  the  grove 
in  the  afternoon.  Rev.  C.  H.  Fay,  of  Middleton,  was  the 
preacher  there.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present,  and  deeply 
enjoyed  the  occasion.  The  sermon  was  able  and  appropriate, 
and  was  followed  by  the  communion  service.  It  was  to  Mr. 
Whittemore  something  entirely  new,  this  service  in  a  grove. 
"  A  table  had  been  constructed  in  front  of  the  rostrum,  on 
which  the  elements  were  laid.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  invited 
to  preside  at  the  service.  All  were  invited  to  keep  their 
places.  The  air  was  perfectly  serene.  Appropriate  remarks 
were  offered.  It  was  such  a  spectacle  as  we  never  saw  before, 
and  probably  shall  never  see  again.  A  communion  service 
beneath  the  broad,  illimitable  sky !  But  all  was  subdued 
and  pleasant,  and  the  closing  hymn  went  up  to  heaven  in  a 
chorus  of  three  or  four  hundred  voices." 

Of  the  encouragement  given  by  Christian  Universalism  to 
the  purest  piety,  he  says  :  "A  doctrine  so  congenial  to  piety 
and  benevolence  as  to  engage  ah1  good  men  to  pray  that  it 
may  be  true  cannot  have  a  bad  influence.  We  allow  that  it 
may  be  misunderstood  and  perverted,  and  then  the  good  in- 
fluence of  it  will  be  lost.  The  grace  of  God  of  old  was 
turned  into  lasciviousness  ;  but  who  would  argue  from  it  that 
the  natural  tendency  of  divine  grace  was  evil  ?  A  New  Eng- 
land divine,  who  made  himself  quite  eminent  by  his  opposition 
to  Universalism  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago,  allowed  that 
the  tendency  of  that  doctrine  on  a  good  man  was  salutary. 
After  stating  that  the  effect  of  this  doctrine  on  a  bad  man  was 
unfavorable,  he  is  very  particular  to  add,  '  but  that  the  belief 
in  Universalism  would  have  the  same  effect  on  those  who  arc 
born  of  God,  we  have  never  said  ;  much  less  that  if  we  be- 
lieved it  we  would  by  all  means  live  in  all  manner  of  sin  in 


THOMAS    WHITTEUORE.  319 

this  life.'  The  same  divine,  in  a  published  discourse  that 
came  out  in  1818,  after  a  most  fallacious  argument  designed 
to  show  that  the  wicked  would  encourage  themselves  in  sin 
by  this  sentiment,  sa}-s  (and  let  all  observe  his  words)  :  '  I 
speak  not  the  language  of  the  pious  soul,  who  knows  the 
comforts  of  religion,  and  rejoices  in  his  liberty  as  a  child  of 
God,  being  set  free  from  sin  and  the  power  of  Satan  ;  but  of 
those  who  know  nothing  of  that  comfort  and  liberty,  and  who 
delight  in  the  drudgery  of  sin,  and  hug  their  chains.'  Un- 
fortunately for  his  argument,  he  adds  :  '  These  are  the  people 
who  mistake  in  every  thing.  They  call  evil  good  and  good 
evil ;  they  put  darkness  for  light  and  light  for  darkness,  bitter 
for  sweet  and  sweet  for  bitter.'  We  should  expect  that 
Universalism  would  be  misunderstood  by  such  people.  How 
can  it  be  otherwise?  If  th^-  call  good  evil,  how  can  we 
expect  that  they  would  make  a  proper  use  of  such  a  good 
doctrine  as  that  of  which  we  have  spoken?  It  would  of 
course  be  the  contrary  doctrine  that  they  would  consider 
good,  on  the  reverend  gentleman's  own  rule.  He  acknowl- 
edges just  what  we  have  always  asserted,  that  Universalism 
is  a  doctrine  congenial  to  piety." 

The  United  States  Convention  was  held  this  season  in 
Providence,  R.I.  It  was  an  occasion  of  great  interest.  The 
Occasional  Sermon  was  by  Rev.  G.  S.  Weaver,  of  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  and  gave  great  satisfaction.  Many  other  discourses 
were  delivered,  and  most  attractive  and  impressive  conferences 
held.  Services  were  in  both  churches.  Mr.  Whittemore 
writes  of  the  meeting:  "For  high  spiritual  power,  it  was 
like  the  great  meeting  in  Boston  on  the  29th  of  May  last. 
The  silent  pra3'er  on  the  last  evening,  when  the  immense 
assembly  bowed  before  God,  not  uttering  a  word ;  when  not 
the  slightest  sound  or  motion  or  breath  was  heard,  — never 
was  a.ny  thing  more  impressive.  When  the  silent  prayer  was 


320  MEMOIR  OF 

ended  at  the  pronunciation  of  '  Amen,'  by  Brother  Balch  in 
the  desk,  a  brother  began  the  Lord's  Praj'er  aloud  from  the 
broad  aisle,  and  the  more  than  a  thousand  people,  every  one 
(so  far  as  we  could  discover),  joined  in,  audibly,  word  for 
word,  to  the  end,  and  at  the  close  responded  out  of  the  very 
depths  of  their  souls,  not  loudly,  but  sincerely,  such  an  Amen 
as  only  a  thousand  souls  together  can  utter.  We  are  speak- 
ing of  the  meeting  we  attended  ;  there  was  another  great 
meeting  at  the  same  hour.  We  bless  God  for  that  last  meet- 
ing in  Providence.  It  was  hard  to  leave  it.  It  seemed  as 
if  the  people  could  not  go  away.  It  was  half-past  ten  before 
the  last  ones  left  the  house." 

A  Sunday  in  Sippican,  Mass.,  is  greatly  enjoyed;  includ- 
ing a  prayer-meeting  of  unusual  interest  in  the  evening. 

In  October,  he  attended  a  conference  of  the  Cheshire  Asso- 
ciation, in  Hinsdale,  N.H.  He  preached  twice  on  the  occa- 
sion, and  took  part  in  a  veiy  demonstrative  and  enjoyable 
conference  at  the  conclusion  of  the  session.  In  the  same 
month  he  passed  a  Sabbath  in  South  Acton,  and  preached  in 
a  new  hall  there,  which  was  densely  crowded.  Scores  were 
standing  around  the  windows.  In  the  afternoon,  a  ladder  was 
raised  to  the  top  of  the  piazza,  and  settees  were  placed  on 
that,  and  the  windows  were  opened,  so  that  the  outsiders 
might  hear.  He  had  not  preached  in  the  town  for  more  than 
twenty  years. 

On  the  14th  of  this  month,  a  spirited  conference  was  held 
in  the  First  Universalist  Church  in  Boston.  .Air.  Whittemore 
was  present.  Rev.  R.  A.  Ballou  delivered  an  address  which 
invited  much  discussion,  because  it  involved  the  doctrine  of 
religious  awakening  and  culture  in  the  future  life,  for  those 
who  knew  not  the  blessings  in  the  present  existence.  The 
remarks  were  all  in  the  fraternal  spirit.  Mr.  Whittemore 
made  a  sweet  and  stirring  speech.  Father  Taylor,  the  sea- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  321 

man's  minister,  was  present.  Being  invited  to  speak  he  said 
that  he  had  enjoyed  man}'  things  in  this  meeting.  He  had 
been  in  Universalist  conference  meetings  before.  He  re- 
membered that  precious  meeting  at  Milford  very  vividly.  But 
he  never  went  to  any  meeting  with  the  full  intent  beforehand 
to  say  he  approved  of  ever}-  word  he  should  hear  ;  neither  did 
he  expect  the  people  to  approve  every  word  he  should  say. 
He  had  been  greatly  pleased  with  certain  parts  of  the  address  : 
it  came  from  a  Christian's  heart ;  but  there  were  some  things 
new  to  him.  He  spoke  tenderly  and  in  a  loving  strain,  but 
objected  somewhat  to  the  idea  that  men  had  got  to  mend 
up  their  characters  when  they  reached  another  world.  He 
thought  the}'  had  better  do  it  here,  down  here  in  the  work- 
shop, and  not  up  in  glory.  Be  saved  now,  for  now  is  the 
time.  Every  thing  was  said  kindly.  The  harmony  of  the 
meeting  was  not  in  the  least  disturbed.  Rev.  Mr.  Ryder 
spoke  in  explanation  after  Father  Taylor  closed.  Mr.  Whit- 
temore  made  another  address  in  the  evening,  and  closed  the 
meeting  with  prayer. 

He  attended  a  Conference  in  Roxbury,  on  Wednesday 
evening,  Oct.  20.  He  entered  with  great  earnestness  into 
the  exercises,  speaking  twice  during  the  evening.  He  con- 
cludes a  notice  of  it  with  the  exclamation,  "What  a  series 
of  happy  meetings  have  we  enjoyed  during  this  month  of 
October !  " 

Woman  preaching  is  coming  into  favor  with  him.  He  says 
of  Mrs.  L.  A.  Jenkins,  of  Central,  New  York  :  ' '  This  lad}"  has 
been  winning  golden  opinions  in  Williamsburg,  N.Y.  We 
had  the  opportunity  to  hear  her  speak  in  Providence,  R.I., 
before  more  than  a  thousand  persons  at  the  time  of  the  great 
gathering  there.  She  made  a  deep  impression  upon  us.  We 
shall  throw  no  obstacle  in  her  way.  She  is  possessed  of 
great  talents.  Let  her  follow  the  dictates  of  her  own  con- 

21 


322  MEMOIR    OF 

science.  She  will  perhaps  visit  New  England  in  a  few  weeks 
with  her  husband,  and  some  of  our  societies  will  have  an 
opportunity  to  hear  them  declare  the  Gospel.  We  have  no 
doubt  that  she  can  be  instrumental  of  much  good."  Again 
he  remarks  :  "  We  believe  her  efforts  are  highly  favorable  to 
the  cause  of  pure  religion,  and  it  is  our  duty  to  say  so  to  the 
world." 

In  noticing  the  nomination  of  Rev.  John  A.  Gurley  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  for  Congress  spoken  of  as  a  minister's 
"  promotion,"  he  objects  to  the  expression.  "  Call  you  this 
promoting  ministers?  To  take  a  man  from  the  sacred  desk 
and  put  him  into  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  ?  We 
have  a  high  respect  for  John  A.  Gurley,  but  shall  never  think 
that  he  has  been  promoted  by  going  to  Congress  !  " 

He  preached  in  New  Bedford  on  Suucla}-,  November  28th. 
The  day  was  stormy,  but  the  church  was  filled  with  hearers. 
A  good  conference  in  the  evening  was  highby  enjoyed  by 
him. 

In  December,  Mrs.  Jenkins,  the  preacher,  made  her  first 
visit  to  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Whittemore  and  wife  accompa- 
nied her  to  Lawrence,  where  she  was  to  preach.  The  Sab- 
bath was  a  stormy  and  wintry  one  ;  but  a  large  congregation 
came  to  greet  the  preacher.  Mr.  Whittemore  took  part  with 
her  in  the  services.  He  writes  of  her,  as  she  appeared  on  the 
occasion  :  "  There  was  an  utter  absence  of  all  attempt  at  show. 
She  read  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  the  Gospel  according  to 
John.  It  was  done  distinctly,  tenderly,  in  not  a  loud  voice  ; 
but  she  was  heard  with  ease  at  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
house.  Everybody  was  listening.  The  cadences  were  well 
preserved,  the  interrogations  exceedingly  well  given,  and  the 
dialogistic  parts  were  recited  almost  as  if  two  persons  were 
talking  to  each  other.  Her  topic  for  discourse  was  the 
Fatherhood  of  God.  Her  sermon  was  written  and  lav  before 


THOMAS    WIIITTEMORE.  323 

her.  At  times  she  read,  and  at  times  she  spoke  extempo- 
raneously to  all  appearance.  If  we  speak  of  the  sermon 
according  to  the  impression  it  made  upon  us,  our  words  will 
be  regard  CM  1  as  scintillations  from  a  heated  imagination.  We 
have  no  desire  to  write  one  eulogistic  sentence,  any  further 
than  an  exact  statement  of  the  facts  will  be  such.  It  was 
one  of  the  most  effective,  tender,  instructive,  truthful  dis- 
courses on  the  paternal  character  of  God  that  we  had 
ever  heard.  We  did  not  hear  her  in  the  afternoon,  as 
we  were  obliged  to  go  to  Methuen  to  fulfil  our  own  appoint- 
ment." 

While  in  New  England,  Mrs.  Jenkins  preached  two  Sab- 
baths in  Lawrence,  two  in  Medford.  one  in  Lowell,  and  one 
in  Manchester,  N.H.  Her  husband  also  preached  in  different 
places.  She  preached  in  the  evening  in  several  towns  not 
here  named.  Mr.  AVhittemore  writes  of  her  visit:  "The 
peculiar  fact  of  a  lady-preacher  helped  to  draw  large  crowds 
to  hear  her  in  many  instances,  —  the  greatest  probably  in 
Lowell  and  Manchester,  who  if  they  came  from  curiosity,  went 
home  in  admiration  of  her  talents,  and  softened  and  humbled 
by  the  power  of  her  discourses.  We  are  glad  she  has  come 
to  New  England."  He  afterwards  writes:  "All  our  early 
impressions  were  against  woman's  appearing  in  public  as  a 
speaker.  We  supposed  a  woman  could  not  do  it,  unless  she 
were  bold,  masculine,  and  presuming,  and  that  was  the  very 
class,  we  thought,  who,  for  the  credit  of  their  families,  ought 
to  stay  at  home.  We  are  now  sure  that  a  woman  can  speak, 
can  preach,  can  pray,  in  the  pulpit,  without  throwing  oft'  her 
womanly  dignity  and  modesty." 

A  conference  was  held  at  Mattapoisett,  Mass.,  in  Decem- 
ber. The  ministers  and  laity  from  other  places  were  present, 
and  the  occasion  was  one  of  unalloyed  enjoyment  to  Mr. 
Whittemore,  who.  took  an.  active  part  in  the  exercises. 


324  MEMOIR    OF 

Another  conference  was  held  during  this  month  in  Worcester, 
which  Mr.  AVhittemore  attended.  Mrs.  Jenkins  preached  on 
the  occasion.  Rev.  C.  F.  Hudson,  author  of  "  Debt  and 
Grace,"  and  "Doctrine  of  a  Future  Life."  took  part  in  the 
meeting.  It  was  one  of  rich  enjoyment. 

A  Sabbath  is  passed  by  him  at  Lowell  in  this  month.  He 
preached  in  the  First  Church,  and  Mrs.  Jenkins  in  the  Sec- 
ond. Both  churches  were  filled,  and  the  last  named  was 
running  over.  Mr.  Whittemore  had  a  brief  but  very  affecting 
interview  with  Rev.  T.  B.  Thayer,  who  was  at  that  time 
lying  very  low  in  consequence  of  a  severe  accident  of  which 
he  had  been  the  subject.  The  event  occasioned  great  anx- 
iousness  on  the  part  of  the  many  friends  of  the  suffering  one, 
and  great  was  the  joy  when  he  came  up  from  his  long  pros- 
tration to  his  place  and  work  in  the  ministry  again. 

The  first  Sabbath  in  January  of  the  new  year  (1859)  was 
spent  by  Mr.  AVhittemore  in  Rockport,  Mass.  The  day  was 
exceedingly  pleasant,  and  large  audiences  greeted  the 
preacher.  He  writes:  "  AVe  never  before  saw  such  a  con- 
course in  Rockport.  This  is  to  be  attributed  in  part  to  the 
labors  of  the  settled  pastor  (Rev.  J.  H.  Farnsworth) .  who 
for  the  year  past  has  been  steadily  bringing  the  congregation 
up  in  its  numbers.  The  society  embraces  many  of  the  best 
men  and  women,  and  young  men  and  women,  in  the  town. 
AVe  love  them  for  their  integrity,  temperance,  good  order, 
and  devotion  to  the  Christian  cause." 

He  preached  in  Marblehead  on  one  Sabbath  in  this  month. 
He  had  not  preached  there  since  1841,  when  Rev.  Henry 
Bacon  was  pastor  of  the  society.  His  visit  made  him  very 
happy.  Although  the  wintry  weather  was  forbidding,  his 
congregations  were  large.  ''Such  a  sea  of  faces!"  he 
writes  :  "  Such  attention  !  It  excited  us  ;  we  preached  more 
than  an  hour  on  the  character  of  God  as  the  standard  of 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  325 

moral  excellence."  A  Sabbath  of  much  enjoyment  was  soon 
after  passed  with  the  Second  Society  in  I^ynn. 

A  notice  of  the  "  Autobiography"  of  Mr.  Whittemore,  by 
Rev.  Dr.  H.  Ballou,  appears  about  this  time  in  the  Universal- 
ist  Quarterly.  The  description  of  Mr.  Whittemore  which  it 
contains  is  so  well  drawn,  that  we  give  it  a  place  in  these 
pages : — 

"  From  about  the  year  1825  to  the  present, — the  period 
usually  allotted  as  the  tenn  of  a  generation,  —  no  man's 
name  has  been  more  familiar  to  the  Universalist  denomination 
than  that  of  Thomas  Whittemore  ;  after  excepting  the  late 
Hosea  Ballou,  no  other  person  is  so  generally  known.  Pos- 
sessing in  a  most  extraordinary  degree  the  facuhVy  of  reaching 
the  popular  mind  ;  making  himself  understood  by  every  grade 
of  hearer  and  reader ;  speaking  the  language  of  the  people, 
and  speaking  to  them  with  a  directness  and  familiarity  which 
alwa3's  arrest  attention  and  awaken  sympathy ;  and  possess- 
ing a  fund  of  humor  which  perpetually  gushes  out,  and  for 
the  time,  and  despite  even  of  prejudice,  compels  a  friendly 
feeling  ;  he  is,  by  the  consent  of  friend  and  foe,  the  people's 
man,  above  any  other  in  our  denominational  history.  Add 
to  this  the  fact,  that  for  nearly  thirty  years  he  has  preached 
as  an  itinerant  about  thirty-seven  hundred  times,  and  thus 
been  brought  into  personal  intimacy  with  brethren  in  numer- 
ous localities  ;  and  the  further  fact,  that  during  nearly  all  of 
his  professional  life  he  has  been  the  industrious  editor  of  a 
journal  which,  if  not  reaching  a  large  number  of  readers,  has 
circulated  over  a  much  larger  territory  than  any  other  advo- 
cating the  same  cause.  These  things,  both  personal  and  cir- 
cumstantial, account  for  the  notoriety  which  has  made  the 
name  and  character  of  Mr.  Whittemore  more  widely  and  inti- 
mately known  than  that  of  an}r  other  Universalist  minister." 

The  last  Sundaj-  in  January  was  spent  by  Mr.  Whittemore 


326  MEMOIR   OF 

in  Manchester,  N.H.  The  day  was  wintry.  He  writes 
of  it:  "In  the  afternoon,  we  addressed  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  people  we  ever  saw  in  Manchester.  One  lady  was 
introduced  to  us  who  said  she  was  a  member  of  the  Method- 
ist church,  but  she  was  a  Uuiversalist,  she  said,  in  heart 
and  soul.  The  Methodists  loved  her,  and  when  she  asked  a 
dismission  they  were  unwilling  to  let  her  go.  They  love  her 
still,  and  she  loves  them  ;  but  she  loves  Christ  and  the  Gos- 
pel above  her  chief  jo3T.  She  goes  regularly  to  the  Univer- 
salist  church.  The  sermon  in  the  afternoon  was  just  one 
hour  and  thirty  minutes  in  length." 

Mr.  Whittemore  preached  the  sermon  at  the  dedication  of 
the  new  Universalist  church-edifice  in  Cambridgeport,  on 
Wednesday  P.M.  December  26,  1859.  The  pastor  and  ex- 
pastors  were  in  the  pulpit  together. 

He  preached  in  North  Bridgewater  (now  Brockton),  Mass., 
on  the  13th  of  February  ;  had  large  audiences  and  a  very 
agreeable  day.  On  the  last  Sunday  in  the  month  he  preached 
at  Annisquam.  Winter's  trials  attended  him.  His  ride  of 
six  miles  after  leaving  the  comfortable  cars  at  Gloucester, 
is  thus  spoken  of:  "  The  ride  to  Gloucester  was  well 
enough ;  but  when  we  had  to  take  a  seat  in  a  coach  on  wheels, 
for  a  ride  of  six  miles  in  a  dark  evening,  up  hill  and  down, 
through  drifts  of  snow,  the  wind  howling,  the  driver  suffering, 
and  the  poor  horses  scarcely  able  to  pull  the  coach,  it  was  a 
very  different  matter.  We  called  all  our  religion  and  philos- 
ophy to  our  aid,  but  that  act  did  not  make  our  feet  warm. 
It  was  the  longest  six  miles  we  ever  rode."  A  safe  and 
pleasant  home  was  reached  at  last;  the  next  day  was  greeted 
with  sunshine,  and  the  preacher  had  a  happy  interview  with 
large  congregations.  On  the  20th  of  this  month,  he  preached 
in  Middletown,  Ct.  On  the  last  Sunday  he  preached  in 
Danvers,  Mass. 


THOMAS   WHITTEMORE.  327 

In  the  Trumpet  of  April  9,  he  relates  an  interesting  incident 
•which  came  up  in  his  ministerial  experience.  He  preached 
on  a  certain  Sabbath  in  a  town  in  Massachusetts,  on  the 
Parable  of  the  Sower.  His  aim  was  to  describe  the  effects 
of  the  sowing  of  the  truth  in  the  minds  of  different  persons. 
Tf  the  seed  of  love  be  sown  in  the  receptive  heart,  it  will  pro- 
duce the  happiest  effects,  and  bring  forth  the  largest  fruits  ; 
•  •  some  sixty,  some  thirty,  and  some  a  hundred  fold." 

' '  In  the  course  of  the  argument,  which  I  extended  to  some 
length,  I  happened  to  cast  my  eyes  at  the  singers,  among 
whom  I  saw  a  person  of  forty  years,  perhaps,  in  plain  but 
cleanly  apparel.  He  was  giving  earnest  attention  to  the 
preaching,  —  so  far  as  he  could  under  the  emotion  he  mani- 
fested ;  and  I  observed,  in  the  moment  my  eye  was  fixed  on 
him,  that  he  shed  tears  profusely.  His  countenance  indicated 
a  feeling  of  mingled  grief  and  joy.  The  circumstance  passed 
from  my  mind,  until,  at  the  house  where  I  dined,  a  person 
came  in  whom  I  recognized  as  the  same  individual.  He  ex- 
tended his  hand,  and  while  I  was  exchanging  salutations  with 
him,  he  burst  out  in  audible  grief,  and  left  the  room.  He 
shortly  came  in  again  somewhat  composed,  and  dined  with  the 
family,  speaking  but  few  words,  and  those  betraying  his 
emotion.  I  did  not  see  him  after  he  left  the  table,  at  that 
time,  though  I  saw  him  often  afterward. 

"  When  he  had  retired,  I  inquired  of  the  lady  of  the  house 
the  cause  of  his  grief.  '  Formerly,'  said  she,  '  this  individual 
was  a  man  of  very  irregular  habits.  He  was  a  tippler,  an 
idler  ;  careless  of  his  family,  and  still  more  careless  of  himself. 
Even*  one  gave  him  up  as  lost  for  this  world,  and  regretted 
that  a  person  of  such  good  natural  sense  should  become  so 
abandoned.  At  last,'  she  continued,  '  he  commenced  to  at- 
tend the  Universalist  meetings,  and  to  read  the  books  and 
papers  of  that  denomination.  His  neighbors  —  generally 


328  MEMOIR   OF 

Methodists  —  drew  from  this  fact  an  argument  to  prove  that 
Universalism  was  agreeable  to  the  depraved  heart.  But  there 
soon  commenced  a  very  great  change  in  his  character.  His 
rashness  and  irascibility  passed  away,  and  his  disposition 
seemed  to  be  softened  and  moulded  anew.  He  became 
patient  and  meek  and  kind.  He  left  his  cups  entirely  (and 
this,'  she  said,  '  was  more  than  two  years  previous) ,  and  be- 
came a  sober  and  industrious  citizen.  It  seems  almost  im- 
possible,' she  added,  '  for  him  to  forgive  himself  for  having 
sinned  so  long  against  infinite,  unmerited,  and  unchanging 
goodness.  When  he  first  came  among  us,  we  hesitated  to 
receive  him,  and  believed  he  could  not  be  a  Universalist ;  but 
his  conduct  soon  made  us  all  proud  of  him,  and  he  is  now 
universally  respected.  Whenever  any  preacher  comes  here 
who  speaks  particularly  of  God's  love  to  us,  even  when  w'e 
are  sinners,  and  the  duty  this  imposes  on  us  to  love  one 
another,  he  cannot  restrain  his  feelings ;  and  this,'  said  she, 
'  I  apprehend  was  the  cause  of  his  emotion  to-day,  which  ex- 
cited your  attention.'  Here  was  an  instance  of  the  natural 
influence  of  the  love  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel.  When 
it  is  said  that  Universalism  is  licentious,  I  always  think  of  the 
case  now  described." 

He  visits  Milford,  Mass.,  in  April.  "We  called,"  he 
writes,  "  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Newell  Nelson,  the  Town  Clerk 
in  1821,  when  we  lived  in  Milford  ;  who,  on  one  Sabbath-day, 
posted  conspicuously  upon  the  front-door  of  the  church  in  which 
we  preached  the  following  notice :  '  Marriage  is  intended 
between  Rev.  Thomas  Whittemore  and  Miss  Lovice  Corbett, 
both  of  Milford.'  Brief  as  this  notice  was,  it  led  to  very  im- 
portant results.  Mr.  Nelson  is  now  about  seventy-five  years 
of  age.  Leaving  him,  we  rode  to  Hopedale,  and  called  on 
Rev.  Adin  Ballou,  and  spent  a  half-hour  with  him  very  pleas- 
antly, talking  principally  about  old  times.  His  amiable  wife 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  329 

was  the  daughter  of  one  of  our  steadfast  friends  (Perly  Hunt, 
Esq.),  who  joined  in  marriage  the  parties  named  in  the  pre- 
ceding publishment.  From  Rev.  Mr.  Ballou's  house,  we  went 
to  Mr.  Elliot  Alden's,  where  all  our  party  joined  company 
again.  Thence  we  all  went  to  the  venerable  mansion  of  Mrs. 
Corbett.  Mrs.  "NVhittemore's  mother.  The  old  lady  will  enter 
her  ninety-third  year  on  the  4th  of  May.  She  is  in  excellent 
health,  good  spirits,  memory  and  hearing  very  good  for  a  per- 
son of  her  age.  She  believes  every  thing  will  take  place  just 
as  the  Lord  decrees.  She  will  live  all  the  days  of  her  ap- 
pointed time  until  her  change  come.  Her  life  has  been  far 
above  the  medium  purity  of  mortals." 

He  preached  in  Palmer.  Mass.,  on  Sunda}',  April  10.  The 
place  of  meeting  was  a  hall  in  a  public-house.  It  was  filled 
to  inconvenience.  Hearers  were  there  from  many  neighbor- 
ing towns.  He  writes:  "A  large  number  of  very  sincere 
inquirers  after  truth  were  present.  Several  ladies  tarried 
after  the  benediction  to  assure  us  of  the  deep  interest  they 
took  in  the  cause  ;  and  to  promise  that  each  one  in  her  town 
would  do  all  she  could  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  great 
and  glorious  doctrine  they  had  heard  that  day." 

The  next  da}',  Mr.  AVhittemore  went  to  Southbridge, 
preached  in  the  evening,  and  enjoyed  a  conference  afterward. 
44  After  service,"  he  writes,  "  we  had  a  few  words  with  every 
person  who  remained  in  the  house  ;  words  of  advice,  recollec- 
tions of  old  times,  and  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  who  had 
passed  away." 

A  Sunday  of  great  interest  is  spent  in  Salem.  Mass.  From 
eleven  to  fourteen  hundred  persons  were  supposed  to  be  pres- 
ent in  the  Universalist  church.  Quite  a  number  were  from 
the  Unitarian  congregations  in  the  place. 

In  a  brief  article  entitled,  "  The  Main  Question,"  he  writes  : 
"  '  AVhat  is  the  main  question  with  you  Universalists  ? '  said  a 


830  MEMOIR    OF 

Partialist  to  me  a  few  days  since.  '  Is  this  it,  -whether  ma- 
terialism or  immaterialism  be  true? '  '  No.'  '  Whether  there 
is  an  intermediate  state  ?'  '  No.'  '  Whether  men  will  be  pun- 
ished after  death?'  '  No.'  '  What  is  the  main  question  with 
you,  then  ? '  '  This  is  it,'  I  replied,  '  whether  all  men  will  eventu- 
ally be  saved  ? '  '  But,'  said  he,  '  that  is  the  ground  of  the  Restora- 
tionists.'  '  We  are  all  Restorationists,'  I  answered  ;  '  we  admit 
of  no  distinction.  All  Restorationists  are  Universalists,  and  all 
Uuiversalists  are  Restorationists.  There  is  no  room  for  dis- 
tinction.' '  But,'  pressing  his  question  still  further,  '  is  the 
Trumpet,'  said  he,  '  a  Restorationist  paper  ? '  '  Yes,'  said  I, '  in 
the  proper  sense  of  that  term.  We  do  not  hold  to  making 
division  among  Universalists.  In  that  sense  we  are  not 
Restorationists ;  but,  in  regard  to  the  eventual  salvation  of 
all  mankind,  we  are  so.  We  prefer,  however,  the  name  Uni- 
versalists. It  is  the  name  Relley  bore,  and  Murray,  and 
Winchester,  Adam  and  Zebuloii  Streeter,  and  the  General 
Convention  from  1785  to  the  present  time.  The  name  was 
good  enough  in  former  times,  and  it  is  good  enough  now. 
We  are  UNIVERSALISTS,  believers  in  the  universal  love  of 
God,  and  the  universal  salvation  of  men.  We  pray  that  we 
may  defend  this  doctrine  by  a  good  life  as  well  as  by  good 
arguments.' " 

In  a  friendly  letter  received  from  his  venerable  brother  in 
the  ministry,  Rev.  Russell  Streeter,  of  Vermont,  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  humorously  refers  to  the  title  of  "  D.D.,"  with  which  he 
had  not  long  before  been  honored : l  "  I  thank  you,  dear  brother, 
for  the  kind  wishes  3'ou  express  in  my  behalf.  I  will  always 
excuse  you  for  not  calling  me  Doctor.  I  have  no  conscientious 
scruples  about  the  matter.  I  never  used  any  effort  to  gain 
this  distinction.  The  next  da}-  after  it  was  conferred,  I  hap- 
pened to  fall  in  with  a  number  of  friends  conversing  together 
1  By  Tufts  College. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  331 

upon  the  sidewalk  in  State  Street.  They  all  saluted  me  as 
'  Doctor.'  '  Ah,  Doctor,  I  wish  you  much  joy.'  '  Doctor,  I 
congratulate  you.'  '  Doctor,  permit  me  to  take  your  hand,' 
&c.  I  replied  by  saying,  '  Gentlemen,  do  forbear,  dor  for- 
bear ;  for  you  know  we  have  to  take  these  things  by 
degrees' " 


332  MEMOIR  OF 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

1859-1860. 
AGED    59-60. 

Anniversary  Week  —  Festival  in  Music  Hall  —  Father  Taylor's  Speech 

—  Mass.  Convention  in  Milford — West  Boylston  —  Palmer  —  Norwich 

—  Biddeford  —  Thoughts  on  his  Ministry  —  The  New  Massachusetts 
Convention  —  Martha's  Vineyard  —  Dedication  at  South  Reading  — 
Westford  —  Stoughton  —  Weymouth  —  Doctrinal    Sermons  —  Ware- 
ham —  Norfolk  Co.   Association — Rockport  —  U.S.   Convention    in 
Rochester,  N.Y.  —  New  York  Independent  on  Universalism  :  Call  for 
Discussion  —  Rev.  Adin  Ballou  :  Reciprocal  Words  —  Visit  to   Box- 
boro',  Mass.  —  Abington  —  Marlboro'  —  What  begets  Love  to  God  — 
Visits  Maine  —  Westmoreland,  N.H.  —  Hinsdale  —  Several  Sundays 

—  Roxbury  —  Claremont,  N.H. —  Sabbaths  at  Home  —  Lowell :  Illness 
in  the  Pulpit  —  A  Question  Considered  —  Adherence  to  his  Faith  — 
Rev.  C.  F.  Hudson  —  Anniversary  Week  —  Advice  of  Family  and 
Friends  —  Versus  Tobacco  —  Forefathers'  Rock  —  Newport,  N.  H.  — 
Isles  of  Shoals  —  Vermont  Convention  in  Cavendish  —  Agrippa's 
"Almost"  —  U.S.  Convention  in  Boston  — Three  Ways  to  Live. 

ANNIVERSARY  Week  this  year  brought  attractions  of  more 
than  usual  interest  to  the  Universalists,  as  well  as  to  others. 
There  was  much  activity  in  most  of  the  meetings.  Sabbath- 
school  and  other  conferences  began  with  the  week.  Home 
Missionary  and  Reform  Meetings  were  held,  Mr.  TVhittemore 
taking  part  in  most  of  them.  The  Festival  in  Music  Hall  was 
very  full}'  attended.  Latimer  W.  Ballou  of  "Woonsocket.  R.I. , 
presided,  and  made  an  admirable  opening  address.  Rev.  S. 
Cobb  followed  in  a  sensible  and  pointed  speech,  responsive 
to  the  sentiment  "  Universalism  and  the  Universalist  denomi- 
nation, —  an  embodied  spirit  and  a  spiritualized  body."  Rev. 
Messrs.  Patterson,  Adams,  A.  Moore,  and  E.  H.  Chapin, 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  333 

followed  ;  and  the  meeting  had  a  new  inspiration  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Father  Taylor  of  the  Seamen's  Church.  He  was 
called  upon  for  a  speech,  and  responded  to  a  welcoming 
audience.  His  words  were  characteristic.  "  He  was  .ex- 
ceedingly pleased  to  be  here,  and  pleased  with  the  cause  by 
which  he  got  here.  It  was  by  Dr.  Whittemore,  the  lungs  and 
breath  of  the  great  Trumpet.  And  if  it  depended  on  Brother 
AVhittemore  to  keep  the  blast  and  music  going  on  earth, 
he  hoped  he  would  be  kept  a  good  while  out  of  heaven 
yet.  He  had  made  up  his  mind  to  go  to  heaven  with 
the  brother.  (Applause ;  Messrs.  Ta3'lor  and  Whittemore 
shaking  hands  amid  much  laughter.)  If  the  reason  was 
honestly  asked,  he  would  honestly  say,  because  he  saw  no 
way  to  help  it.  Brother  Whittemore  had  stuck  close  to  him 
twenty  years,  and  could  not  be  shaken  off.  Therefore  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  it,  and  was  much  pleased  with  the  idea. 
He  was  pleased,  too,  with  all  he  saw  before  him,  and  right 
down  pleased  with  himself.  He  spoke  of  the  care  which 
Providence  had  taken  of  him  through  his  long  life.  He  had 
wandered  far,  preached  among  men  of  all  nations,  and  did 
not  know  that  he  had  ever  been  designedly  injured.  The 
Lord  had  cared  for  him  alwaj's,  and  he  was  thankful."  He 
concluded  by  saying :  "It  was  by  their  fruit  that  we  should 
know  men.  He  himself  was  waiting  for  the  fruit  of  his 
labors.  He  had  not  been  in  the  habit  of  judging  others.  He 
might  get  a  skiving  for  being  so  happy  in  this  company  to- 
day, but  he  cared  little  for  that !  He  believed  that  the  chil- 
dren of  God  everywhere  knew  their  Father,  and  so  he  was 
glad  to  be  here.  He  saw  another  brother  yonder  with  whom 
he  expected  to  go  to  heaven ;  and,  to  make  short  metre,  he 
believed  that  we  might  all  go  to  heaven  together.  A  hope 
of  heaven,  a  glorious  Father,  and  a  blessed  Redeemer,  was 
for  all  of  us." 


334  MEMOIR    OF 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  held  its  session  this  year  in 
Milford.  A  charter  obtained  from  the  State  Legislature  pro- 
viding for  the  Sabbath  School  Association,  Massachusetts 
Convention  of  Universalists,  and  Universalist  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  into  one  corporate  bod}-,  to  be  called  the 
"  Massachusetts  Universalist  Convention,"  was  presented 
and  adopted.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present  and  took  part  in 
most  of  the  meetings,  especially  those  of  conference  and 
prayer. 

On  Sunday,  May  29,  he  preached  for  the  first  time  in  West 
Boylston,  Mass.  He  writes  of  the  meeting:  "At  the  ring- 
ing of  the  second  bell,  the  people  began  to  gather  from  Wor- 
cester, Old  Boylston,  Northboro',  Berlin,  Sterling,  Holden, 
Rutland,  and  Oakham.  The  church  was  filled,  and  we  must 
give  the  people  the  credit  of  listening  very  earnestly.  The 
larger  congregation  came  in  the  afternoon.  We  preached  on 
'  the  fountain  of  living  waters.'  A  stranger  came  up  as  we 
reached  the  threshold  at  the  close  of  sen-ice  :  '  Sir,'  said  he, 
extending  his  hand,  '  I  thank  you.  I  live  in  Holden.  I 
attend  the  Baptist  church.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  never  really 
heard  the  Gospel  before.  M}r  soul  is  full ;  I  am  satisfied  ;  I 
have  drank  of  the  living  water.'  We  went  back  to  Worcester 
a  very  happy  man,  believing  that  we  had  done  much  good 
that  day.  In  the  evening,  we  took  part  in  the  conference 
meeting  in  Worcester." 

In  June  of  this  year,  he  visited  Palmer,  Mass.,  Norwich, 
Ct.,  and  Biddeford,  Me.,  as  a  preacher.  In  Palmer  there 
was  a  large  gathering.  In  Norwich,  the  Quinebaug  Associa- 
tion held  its  session.  Mr.  Whittemore  preached  a  sermon  on 
the  occasion  of  the  admission  of  new  members  to  the  church 
in  Norwich.  The  meetings  here  were  all  deeply  interesting. 
At  Biddeford,  there  were  large  assemblies ;  persons  being 
present  from  nine  or  ten  of  the  surrounding  towns. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  335 

The  words  of  the  apostle  to  Timoth}'  strike  him  with  force. 
"  But  watch  thou  in  all  things,  endure  afflictions,  do  the  work 
of  an  evangelist,  make  full  proof  of  thy  ministry.  For  I  am 
now  read}-  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight ;  I  have  finished  my  course  ; 
I  have  kept  the  faith"  (2  Tim.  iv.  5-7) .  "  We  have  thought 
much  of  these  words,  and  have  aimed  to  catch  their  spirit. 
Paul  believed  that  he  was  near  the  end  of  his  life.  He  was 
like  a  man  arrived  nearly  at  the  end  of  his  journey.  He 
looked  backward  and  forward.  He  could  say,  '  I  am  now 
ready  to  be  offered.'  How  few  can  say  that !  We  have  been 
thinking  of  this  matter.  Are  we  ready?  That  is  the  main 
point.  Dr.  Watts  has  well  described  the  experience  of 
Christians.  God  does  not  permit  us  to  know  when  we  shall 
die.  We  must  therefore  be  always  ready.  O  thou  Holy 
One  that  inhabitest  eternity,  grant  us  thy  presence  in  that 
solemn  and  mysterious  hour,  and  all  will  be  well.  Come, 
Lord  Jesus,  to  our  help.  Leave  us  not  alone  ;  support  and 
succor  us  when  nature  fails. 

'  Oh !  if  my  Lord  would  come  and  meet, 
My  soul  would  stretch  her  wings  in  haste  ; 
Fly  fearless  through  death's  iron  gate, 
Nor  feel  the  terrors  as  she  passed.' 

"But  let  not  the  thoughts  of  death  drive  wholly  away  the 
thoughts  of  life.  We  must  know  how  to  live,  as  well  as  how 
to  die.  We  must  '  watch  in  all  things  ; '  we  must  '  endure 
afflictions  ; '  we  must  '  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist ; '  we 
must  '  make  full  proof  of  our  ministry.'  Then  shall  we  be 
able  to  say,  '  I  have  fought  a  good  fight.'  Ever}'  Christian 
soldier  has  to  fight ;  but  it  must  be  a  good  fight,  a  proper 
warfare.  He  must  have  on  '  the  whole  armor  of  God.'  He 
must  take  those  weapons  which  '  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty 
through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds,  and  every 


336  MEUOIR    OF 

high  thing  that  exnlteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God.' 
So  much  for  the  good  fight.  He  must  keep  the  faith.  We 
sometimes  flatter  ourself  that  if  the  Lord  hath  made  us  stead- 
fast in  any  thing  it  is  in  '  keeping  the  faith.'  There  is  one 
faith  above  all  others  that  is  worthy  to  be  called  '  THE  faith.' 
I  have  nourished  it ;  I  have  loved  it ;  I  have  defended  it. 
And  it  has  nourished  and  blest  me.  Let  me  not  be  presum- 
ing. Ma}'  I  add  the  rest  of  Paul's  words,  '  Henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness '  ?  I  have 
taken  great  comfort  in  the  work.  So  much  have  I  expe- 
rienced, and  I  cannot  lose  it.  The  laborer  is  entitled  to  his 
reward.  My  work  is  with  the  Master.  If  men  despise  me,  I 
will  think  of  him.  Let  me  aim  only  to  be  useful,  to  be  stead- 
fast. So  much  of  my  life  having  been  already  given  to  the 
cause  of  Christ,  and  a  fragment  only  remaining,  let  me  not 
spoil  that.  Let  me  go  through  triumphantly !  "  Such  is 
"  The  End  in  View  "  upon  which  he  meditates. 

He  is  not  pleased  with  the  newly  formed  Massachusetts 
Convention.  He  is  not  satisfied  with  having  it  made  a  cor- 
poration,—  a  "close  corporation"  as  he  terms  it.  He  is 
suspicious  that  all  the  action  respecting  it  has  been  unconsti- 
tutional. "  We  do  not  believe,"  he  writes,  "  that  this  change 
in  the  form  of  the  Convention  has  been  brought  about  fairly, 
even  if  it  has  been  brought  about  at  all.  It  is  a  forced  state 
of  things.  The  proposed  change  was  pushed  through  indis- 
creetly. No  proper  pains  were  taken  to  give  previous  notice 
of  what  was  about  to  be  done.  There  was  not  a  proper 
brotherly  feeling  and  open-heartedness  concerning  the  matter. 
There  was,  we  suppose,  a  good  deal  of  secret  caucusing 
among  those  who  were  determined  to  push  it  through  at  any 
rate.  This  will  be  pardoned  among  politicians ;  but  among 
brethren  who  have  hitherto  professed  to  love  each  other,  it- 
was  hardly  to  be  expected."  This  was  a  free  and  honest 


THOMAS    WH1TTEMORE.  337 

expression  of  opinion  on  his  part.  He  had,  however,  as  fair 
an  opportunity  to  give  the  whole  subject  a  thorough  discus- 
sion as  any  other  member  of  the  old  or  new  Convention.  But 
he  seemed  inclined  to  withdraw  himself  from  any  active  par- 
ticipation in  the  discussion,  when  he  saw  that  quite  a  majority 
of  his  brethren  were  disposed  to  favor  the  new  movement. 

In  July  he  visited  Martha's  Vineyard.  He  preached  there 
on  the  17th.  He  writes  of  the  visit:  "We  ran  out  of  the 
harbor  of  Xew  Bedford  into  Buzzard's  Ba}',  thence  directly 
across  th'e  Bay  to  Wood's  Hole  in  Falmouth,  and  thence  to 
Holmes'  Hole  on  Martha's  Vineyard.  We  spent  Saturday 
evening  in  visiting  an  aged  father  of  our  faith,  Samuel  Uag- 
gett.  He  is  in  his  ninety-sixth  year.  His  reason  is  clear 
and  good,  his  voice  is  strong,  and  his  faith  is  very  firm.  He 
has  lived  just  such  a  life  as  Micah  describes  (ch.  vi.  v.  8) . 
He  said  that,  although  so  old,  he  should  come  to  hear  us 
preach  on  the  following  day,  if  he  had  his  usual  health,  and 
we  saw  him  in  the  church.  Our  sen-ices  on  Sunda}'  were 
holden  in  the  Orthodox  church,  which  was  kindly  opened  for 
our  convenience.  We  preached  on  important  Gospel  themes, 
and  the  people  listened  with  great  attention.  The}'  were 
animated  by  the  presence  of  a  large  number  of  worshippers. 
The  Lord  be  praised  for  the  spiritual  enjoyments  of  this 
day." 

On  Thursday,  July  28th,  the  Universalist  church  in  South 
Reading  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  sen-ices.  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  offered  the  dedicator}'  prayer.  On  the  following  Sunday, 
he  preached  in  Westford,  Mass.  He  writes  :  "In  the  Unita- 
rian congregation  here  are  quite  a  number  of  persons  who 
believe  in  Universalism  ;  and  they  requested  the  use  of  the 
meeting-house  for  several  Sabbaths,  which  was  granted. 
Two  or  three  of  our  preachers  had  been  there  this  season, 
before  our  own  visit.  The  Unitarian  pastor  was  present, 

22 


338  MEMOIR    OF 

and  also  an  aged  gentleman  (once  a  preacher) ,  Mr.  Abbott. 
He  sat  in  the  pulpit  through  the  day.  The  great  bulk  of  the 
Unitarian  congregation  were  present ;  and  none,  we  believe, 
stayed  away  through  prejudice.  We  felt  it  our  duty  in  the 
afternoon  to  give  a  distinct  sermon  on  some  of  our  leading 
views.  Excepting  our  bodily  weakness,  we  enjoyed  the  day 
greatly." 

A  Sabbath  is  spent  at  Stoughton,  Mass.  "  We  felt,"  he 
writes,  "  a  deep  sensation  in  entering  the  pulpit.  It  was  the 
very  spot  on  which  we  were  ordained  as  a  minister  at  large, 
in  the  month  of  June,  1821.  Thirty-eight  years  have  since 
rolled  away ;  and  yet  we  live  to  preach  the  Gospel.  The 
thought  filled  the  soul  with  deep  solemnity  and  gratitude. 
At  the  close  of  the  afternoon  sermon,  we  referred  to  old 
times  ;  spoke  of  the  departed  fathers  of  the  society ;  made 
reference  to  the  long,  faithful,  useful  pastorship  of  Rev.  M. 
B.  Ballou  (who  was  present  all  the  day)  :  and  besought  the 
sympathy  of  the  people  for  Brother  Dennis,  their  pastor,  who 
is  unable  for  a  time  to  perform  the  public  duties  of  his  minis- 
try. He  is  a  talented,  useful,  spiritually-minded  pastor. 
The  young  men  here  take  an  interest  in  the  society.  W»-  are 
looking  to  one  of  them  as  a  young  man  who  is  yet  to  adorn 
the  sacred  desk.  We  shall  not  cease  to  pray  that  his  heart 
may  be  inclined  to  the  ministry.  He  has  preached  two  or 
three  times  to  great  acceptance." 

A  Sabbath  in  August  is  passed  in  Weymouth,  Mass. 
There  was  a  large  attendance.  In  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  writes:  "  They  listened  with  great  attention  to  a  ser- 
mon of  more  than  an  hour's  length.  Towards  the  close,  the 
speaker  faltered,  being  suddenly  seized  with  sickness  and 
pain.  Brother  Hawes,  from  North  Weymouth,  who  was  in  the 
pulpit,  at  once  rose,  and  conducted  the  service  to  the  end. 
Gratitude  compels  us  to  say  that,  as  soon  as  we  reached  our 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  339 

lodgings  (at  Brother  A.  B.  Wales's),  every  aid  was  rendered 
that  good  judgment  and  attention  could  bestow.  We  did 
not  suffer  for  any  considerable  length  of  time ;  and  now 
(Monday  morning)  are  in  good  preaching  order." 

The  ' '  Importance  of  Doctrinal  Sermons "  comes  up  for 
consideration.  He  is  very  clear  and  decided  on  this  point. 
He  writes  :  "  The  cause  of  Universalism  has  been  injured  by 
telling  the  people  that  doctrinal  sermons  are  of  little  or  no 
importance.  What  are  doctrinal  sermons  but  sermons  in 
exposition  and  defence  of  THE  TRUTH?  And  is  not  truth 
important?  Christianity  is  the  highest  style  of  truth;-  and 
shall  not  that  be  taught  to  the  people?  We  conjure  you, 
readers,  whoever  you  are,  to  say  no  more  against  doctrinal 
sermons.  Do  you  say,  '  We  want  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel, 
the  morality  of  the  Gospel'  ?  But  how  can  you  have  the 
precepts,  the  morality  of  the  Gospel,  unless  you  have  the 
Gospel  itself  preached  ?  And  how  can  you  have  the  Gospel 
preached  if  you  have  no  doctrinal  sermons? 

"  There  are  two  things  you  may  rely  upon,  viz.  :  First,  if 
the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  are  not  preached,  the  people  will 
not  understand  them ;  and,  if  they  do  not  understand  them, 
your  congregations  will  not  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  the 
faith.  How  can  you  have  the  unit}'  of  the  faith,  if  the  doc- 
trines to  be  believed  are  not  preached?  If  you  do  not  have 
a  unity  of  faith,  you  cannot  have  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God  ;  you  will  not  become  perfect  men  ;  you  will  not  come 
unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ,  but 
will  be  '  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the 
sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness  whereby  the}'  lie  in  wait 
to  deceive.'  If  a  congregation  be  not  rooted  and  grounded 
in  the  faith,  they  cannot  stand.  A  breath  of  eloquence  has 
drawn  them  together,  and  a  breath  of  eloquence  will  dis- 
perse them.  Second,  if  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  are  not 


340  MEMOIR   OF 

preached,  the  souls  of  the  people  will  not  be  fed.  Man's 
animal  wants  are  not  his  only  wants,  nor  his  highest.  He 
has  a  moral,  spiritual  nature.  This  is  no  farce.  Every  man 
knows  it  to  be  true.  '  Man,'  said  the  great  Teacher,  '  cannot 
live  by  bread  alone  ;'  i.e.,  by  mere  food  for  the  bod}*.  His 
spiritual  nature  must  be  fed  '  b}*  every  word  that  proceedeth 
out  of  the  mouth  of  God.'  The  soul  cannot  be  fed  without 
the  Gospel :  the  Gospel  is  the  best  of  all  food,  emphatically 
called  '  the  bread  of  life.'  Those  who  have  it  once  want  it 
again.  '  Lord,'  said  the  disciples,  '  evermore  give  us  this 
bread.'  The  great  truths  of  the  Gospel,  then,  must  be 
preached,  or  the  societies  will  die.  Chapin,  our  great  moral 
preacher  so  called,  is  also  a  great  doctrinal  teacher.  How 
have  we  had  our  souls  fed  by  his  sermons  on  the  Christian 
doctrines  ;  on  the  resurrection  ;  on  the  providence  and  faith- 
fulness of  God  ;  on  the  goodness  of  God  as  his  chief  glory ; 
on  the  salvation  of  all  men  as  the  crowning  work  of  the  divine 
mercy.  Those  who  think  that  Chapin  preaches  not  Christian 
doctrine  make  a  great  mistake." 

He  was  in  Wareham,  Mass.,  a  Sunday  in  September. 
Here  he  preached  long  discourses  to  the  congregations,  for 
which  he  apologizes  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  the  hearers 
were  dissatisfied  on  this  account.  He  writes:  "We  are 
determined  to  persevere  in  the  attempt  to  shorten  our  ser- 
mons, until  we  get  them  down  to  a  reasonable  length. 
Speaking  in  public  is  a  hard  habit  to  alter."  During  this 
same  month  the  Norfolk  County  Association  met  at  Canton, 
Mass.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  present,  and  preached  a  ser- 
mon on  the  recognition  of  a  church  in  Canton.  The  rite  of 
l>:iptism  was  administered  to  about  twenty  persons  by  the 
pastor,  Rev.  II.  Jewell.  He  visits  Rockport,  also.  His 
stage  ride  from  Gloucester  was  one  of  anxiety  to  him.  "A 
strong  north-east  storm  was  raging.  It  grew  worse  and 


THOMAS    WLIITTEMORE.  341 

•worse,  and  the  prospect  was  dubious.  Darkness  had  set  in, 
the  wind  howled,  and  seemed  as  if  it  would  blow  passengers 
and  driver  from  the  top  of  the  coach.  We  had  a  seat  inside, 
where  there  were  nine  other  full-grown  men  and  women 
beside  ourself  (ice  are  small)  ;  but  we  believe  there  were  ten 
or  a  dozen  on  the  top  of  the  coach.  Without  accident  we 
arrived  at  Rockport.  A  good  friend  was  in  waiting  to  re- 
ceive us.  An  ardent  welcome  on  such  a  night  is  doubly  a 
welcome.  The  waves  were  rushing  upon  the  rocks  in  fright- 
ful force  ;  the  roaring  of  the  storm  was  heard  from  all  direc- 
tions ;  and,  after  we  were  in  bed,  we  felt  the  house  flinch  from 
the  wind,  and  tremble  as  though  it  were  afraid.  The  trees 
were  frightened,  also,  and  threw  their  great  arms  about  in 
desperation.  On  Sunday  morning,  the  disturbance  of  nature 
began  to  lull.  The  back-bone  of  the  storm  was  broken.  A 
gleam  of  hope  sprung  up  that,  possibly,  we  might  be  able  to 
hold  a  meeting.  By  noon  the  sun  broke  through  the  clouds. 
Omitting  the  forenoon  service,  we  preached  in  the  afternoon 
and  evening.  We  went  into  the  town  in  deep  gloom,  and 
came  out  in  gratitude  and  hope." 

The  session  of  the  United  States  Convention  was  held  this 
year  in  Rochester,  N.Y.  Mr.  Whitternore  had  a  lively  ex- 
perience in  getting  there,  and  a  mingling  of  displeasure  and 
happiness  during  the  meeting.  He  gives  a  vivid  description 
of  the  noisy  scene  at  the  Rochester  Depot  on  their  arrival. 
The  first  Sabbath-school  meeting  gave  him  little  or  no  satis- 
faction, because  "  its  main  business  seemed  to  be  to  make 
officers.  The  debates  were  not  at  all  interesting,  and  seemed 
to  have  veiy  little  to  do  with  the  subject  of  religion.  Religion 
was  what  the  people  went  to  Rochester  after."  Mr.  Whitte- 
more  preached  during  the  session.  He  enjoyed  in  a  high 
degree  the  conference  meeting  on  Wednesday  evening ;  and, 
in  speaking  of  his  interest  in  the  faithful  women  who  gave  in 


342  MEMOIR    OF 

their  testimony  on  the  occasion,  he  seems  to  have  found  an 
increased  interest  in  this  exercise  of  the  gifts  of  the  sister- 
hood. His  written  words  are  quite  an  improvement  on  cer- 
tain expressions  made  by  him  years  before  on  the  Women's 
Convention  in  Worcester.  Of  the  conference  he  says:  "To 
say  that  it  was  a  spirited  meeting  is  but  a  poor  description 
of  it.  To  us,  who  had  met  but  few  of  these  Universalists 
ever  before,  it  was  a  very  precious  opportunity  to  hear  them 
speak,  and  commune  with  them  on  the  subject  of  the  great 
salvation.  Among  others,  Mrs.  Cobb  and  Mrs.  Jenkins  spoke 
with  much  power.  There  was  a  great  desire  to  hear  Mrs. 
Jenkins,  not  only  on  the  part  of  those  who  had  heard  her  in 
other  places,  but  those  who  had  not.  She,  however,  made 
no  long  speech.  She  spoke  clearly,  tremulously,  experimen- 
tally, and  eloquently.  She  never  puts  herself  forward." 
He  asks  why  other  sisters  present,  capable  of  addressing  the 
meeting,  did  not  make  their  voices  heard.  "The}'  might 
have  added  much  to  the  interest  of  the  meeting.  Why  did 
they  not  offer  prayer  ?  or  speak  a  few  words  to  their  backward 
sisters  on  the  subject  of  religion  ?  With  the  exceptions  and 
omissions  here  named,  this  conference  was  a  very  good  one. 
A  lady  who  said  she  was  from  Vermont  made  a  very  accept- 
able address.  Several  speakers  were  strangers  to  us.  One 
avowed  himself  a  member  of  one  of  the  Presbj'terian  churches 
in  Rochester." 

The  New  York  Independent  (an  orthodox  journal)  takes  oc- 
casion to  speak  of  the  prevalence  of  Universalism  in  orthodox 
churches,  among  the  orthodox  clergy,  and  the  literati  of  our 
country  ;  and  very  wisely  concludes  that  this  fact  is  not  to  be 
disregarded  "  by  those  who  believe  that  the  doctrine  of  eter- 
nal retribution  is  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  and  has  a  vital 
place  in  the  moral  government  of  God.  No  subject  can  be 
more  important  for  pulpit  instruction  than  this.  We  are  glad 


THOMAS   WH1TTEMORE.  343 

to  learn  that  some  pastors  in  this  city  and  elsewhere  are 
taking  up  the  doctrine  of  retribution  with  earnestness  and 
thorough  discussion.  We  need  to  hear  again  the  voice  and 
argument  of  an  Edwards,  a  Bellamy,  a  Taylor,  upon  the  law 
and  government  of  God."  To  which  Mr.  Whittemore  re- 
plies :  "Thank  God  that  Universalism  is  to  be  discussed. 
Send  us  no  bo^'s.  Give  us  your  strong  men,  —  men  who 
have  high  characters  for  intelligence  and  learning.  Come 
forward !  you  will  find  the  Universalists  all  ready  for  the 
conflict." 

A  notice  of  Mr.  Whittemore's  Trumpet  appears  in  the 
Practical  Christian,  a  Restorationist  paper  edited  by  Rev. 
Adin  Ballou.  In  former  years,  the  two  editors  had  been  hos- 
tile to  each  other  on  account  of  the  differences  between  the 
Restorationist  party  under  the  lead  of  Rev.  Paul  Dean  and 
others,  and  the  larger  body  of  those  who  would  be  known  as 
Universalists.  Alluding  to  their  former  antagonisms,  Mr. 
Ballou  says:  "Since  then  we  have  scarcely  alluded  to  our 
old  opponents  as  such.  Meantime  the  seceding  Restoration- 
ist Association  was  dissolved  by-  a  concurrence  of  adverse 
circumstances,  and  we  have  since  worked  in  the  world  as  an 
independent  Practical  Christian.  Thus  our  opponent  and 
his  coadjutors  triumphed  ecclesiastically  over  our  Restora- 
tionist secessional  movement ;  but  theologically  and  morally 
we  believe  the  victory  was  on  our  side,  and  that  ultra-Uni- 
versalism  has  lost  ground  ever  since.  Be  this  as  it  may,  Dr. 
Whittemore  adheres  tenaciously  and  faithfully  to  the  doc- 
trines of  his  3'outh,  and  we  dissent  from  him  as  radically  and 
inflexibly  as  ever.  We  also  differ  widely  from  him  on  some 
points  of  Christian,  civil,  and  social  ethics.  Yet  there  is  not 
a  particle  of  enmity,  bitterness,  or  unkindness  between  us. 
He  has  called  on  us  in  the  most  friendly  manner ;  and, 
wherever  we  chance  to  meet,  we  .  greet  each  other  with  mu- 


344  MEMOIR    OF 

tual  salutations  of  peace  and  good-will.  Time  and  labor, 
sickness  and  the  afflictions  of  life,  are  marking  us  both  for 
our  great  change,  and  the  time  cannot  be  distant  when  we 
must  test  the  realities  of  the  spiritual  world  by  actual  experi- 
ence. Our  respective  errors  will  perish.  Our  respective 
truths,  with  all  that  has  been  right  and  good  in  us,  will  be 
immortal.  '  So  mote  it  be.'  May  we  both  forgive  and  bless, 
as  we  hope  to  be  forgiven  and  blest.  And  may  the  last 
years  of  both  of  us  on  earth  be  our  best." 

Mr.  Whittemore  manfully  and  cheerfully  reciprocates  these 
good,  plain,  but  fraternal,  words.  He  first  has  a  few  spicy 
remarks  on  Mr.  Ballou's  use  of  the  term,  "  ultra-Universal- 
ism."  "There  is,"  he  says,  "  no  such  thing.  Universalism 
in  itself,  as  taught  by  Winchester,  and  the  other  fathers,  was 
ultra.  Salvation  could  not  be  extended  beyond  it,  and  hence 
there  is  no  need  of  such  a  distinction  as  ultra  Universalism. 
The  great  fact  which  makes  me  a  Universalist  is  my  belief  in 
the  eventual  resurrection  and  happiness  of  all  men.  Nothing 
else  can  make  me  a  Universalist.  I  may  have  views  on 
minor  subjects,  in  which  I  differ  from  some  Universalists  ; 
but  those  views  are  not  what  make  me  a  Uuiversalist. 
Whether  others  are  quietly  sliding  down  into  a  kind  of  indefi- 
nite Restorationism,  they  can  tell  better  than  we  ;  but  we  are 
not  sliding  at  all.  '  I  have  trusted  also  in  the  Lord,  therefore 
I  shall  not  slide'  (Ps.  xxvi.  1).  I  have  always  held  myself 
ready  to  renounce  ever}-  error ;  and  even  if  I  had  defended  it 
for  a  long  time  and  with  great  energy,  and  had  become  con- 
vinced it  was  not  true,  I  would  renounce  it  at  once  as  publicly 
as  I  had  defended  it.  If  any  man  wishes  me  to  believe  in 
future  punishment,  let  him  give  me  a  •  thus  saith  the  Lord.' 
I  reciprocate  cheerfully  the  kind  things  Brother  Adin  has  said. 
If  I  ever  felt  unkindly  to  him,  all  that  feeling  is  gone  for  ever. 
I  remember  the  old  liestoratioiiist  controversy,  aud  the  part 


THOMAS    WIUTTEMORE.  845 

I  took  in  it.  Probably  I  was  not  always  prudent.  I  was 
easily  excited  :  perhaps  I  said  some  things  rashly  ;  but  I  had 
no  long  lasting  hatred.  Mj-  great  object  was  to  do  all  I 
could  to  save  the  denomination  as  a  unit.  '  If  a  few  will  go 
off,  then  let  them  go ;  but  let  us  keep  the  denomination 
united,'  I  said.  The  same  wish,  I  know,  thrilled  in  the  good 
heart  of  Father  Ballon,  and  Dr.  Ballou,  with  whom  I  wns 
associated  more  than  with  any  other  men.  It  was  no  more 
than  we  ought  to  have  felt  or  done.  In  closing,  I  reassure 
Brother  Ballou  that  I  reciprocate  all  his  friendship.  We  have 
both  lived  beyond  the  heat  of  j-outh.  Our  heads  are  gray. 
May  the  Lord  preserve  him.  We  shall  meet  in  heaven,  where 
no  jarring  interest  shall  be  known,  but  where  all  shall  arrive 
at  the  perfection  of  their  being." 

"A  glorious  meeting"  in  Boxboro',  Mass.,  on  the  last 
Sabbath  in  October,  is  recorded.  Hearers  were  present  from 
seven  or  eight  neighboring  towns,  "  fifty  singers  made  ex- 
cellent music,"  and  the  preacher  seems  to  have  been  in  his 
happiest  mood.  He  visits  Abington  also.  There  was  a  large 
attendance,  although  the  day  was  rainy.  "  One  old  gentle- 
man," he  writes,  "  who  came  over  with  his  daughter  and 
grandchildren  from  Bridgewater,  and  who,  in  his  early  daj's, 
used  to  listen  to  John  Murray,  could  not  sustain  his  emotion^ 
It  is  the  Gospel  which  takes  such  hold  of  the  people's  hearts." 
In  December,  he  preached  one  Sabbath  at  Marlboro',  Mass. 
"  The  meeting-house  here,"  he  writes,  "  is  not  large,  and  the 
audience  filled  even-  pew,  and  all  the  aisles,  the  galler}-,  and 
every  place  where  a  person  could  stand  or  sit.  We  preached 
the  truth,  we  are  sure,  for  we  declared' the  Word  of  God.  We 
have  not  for  a  long  time  enjoyed  a  Sabbath  more  richly  than 
this." 

To  the  question,  "What  will  beget  a  Love  of  God?"  he 
thus  gives  answer  about  this  time :  — 


346  MEMOIR   OF 

"Christian,  we  have  one  question  for  you  to  answer. 
"Would  not  all  your  high  hopes  be  realized,  would  not  your 
most  fervent  prayer  be  answered,  if  all  men  were  brought  to 
love  God  with  the  whole  soul?  Yes,  oh  yes!  you  answer. 
Stand  then  at  this  point,  as  one  from  which  you  will  never 
swerve.  But  how  will  you  bring  men  to  love  God?  We 
know  that  the  beloved  apostle  said,  '  We  love  him  because  he 
first  loved  us  ; '  thereby  showing  that  a  knowledge  of  God's 
love  to  man  is  the  cause  of  man's  love  to  God.  But  we  will 
say  nothing  about  that  now.  Do  you  think  that  the  preach- 
ing of  the  doctrine  of  endless  miser}'  ever  made  one  soul  love 
God?  It  is  impossible.  No  man  can  say,  I  love  God  be- 
cause he  will  make  me  endlessly  miserable ;  or,  because  he 
will  make  my  wife,  or  my  children,  mj-  parents,  or  brothers, 
or  sisters,  or  any  of  my  fellow-creatures,  endlessly  miserable. 
It  is  impossible,  utterly  so,  that  men  should  love  God  for  such 
a  reason.  Suppose  we  put  this  doctrine  where  Jesus  certainly 
did  not  put  it, — we  mean  into  connection  with  the  com- 
mandments, —  would  it  give  the  commandments  increased 
force?  Let  us  try.  '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,' 
for  God  will  torment  /ns  creatures  unmercifully  for  ever.  AVould 
men  be  any  more  likely  to  love  God  or  to  love  their  neighbor 
for  such  a  reason  ?  We  may  answer  with  the  utmost  cer- 
tainty, No.  Jesus  gave  men  reasons  why  they  should  love 
God.  '  GOD  LOVED  THE  WORLD,'  and  gave  his  Son  to  die  for 
it,  all  poor  and  sinful  as  it  was.  '  God  is  rich  in  mercy'  [not 
in  wrath],  and  loved  us  with  a  '  GKEAT  LOVE,'  even  when  we 
were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Blessed  be  his  name.  This 
is  the  doctrine  that  will  make  men  love  God." 

In  December,  he  visits  Auburn  and  Portland,  Me.  It  was 
Christmas  Sabbath  when  he  preached  in  Auburn.  The  day 
was  clear  but  intensely  cold,  the  thermometer  at  23°  below 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  347 

zero.  "We  had  a  large  number,"  he  writes,  "even  for  a 
calm  and  fine  day.  The  house  was  admirably  trimmed  in 
honor  of  Christinas  ;  and  a  well-trained  choir  was  in  the 
orchestra."  In  the  evening,  the  house  was  densely  crowded. 
The  next  day,  he  went  to  Portland,  and  preached  in  the  Uni- 
versalist  church  there  in  the  evening ;  thence  home. 

On  the  evening  of  the  last  day  of  January,  1860,  Mr. 
Whittemore  visited  Westmoreland,  N.H.,  and  attended  a 
festival  there,  given  by  the  Universalists  in  the  place,  under 
the  pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  S.  II.  McCollester.  He  made  an 
address  on  the  occasion,  of  much  interest  to  the  assembly. 

Another  festival  calls  him  at  Hinsdale,  N.H.  It  was 
opened  by  exercises  in  singing  and  speaking  by  the  Sabbath- 
school  children.  "  The  little  orators,"  he  writes,  "  were  fre- 
quently applauded."  These  services  were  of  an  unusually 
high  character  in  a  moral  point  of  view.  Rev.  Mr.  Matterson 
(Methodist)  and  Mr.  Whittemore  followed  with  addresses. 
Then  came  the  table  entertainment,  at  which  a  gustatory 
scene  is  opened,  as  Mr.  Whittemore  gives  it.  "It  would 
have  done  any  spectator  good  to  have  seen  Rev.  Mr.  Matter- 
son  and  Brother  Whittemore  with  their  huge  bowls  full  of 
oysters,  sitting  side  by  side  upon  the  elevated  platform,  smil- 
ing, talking,  swallowing,  and  once  in  a  while  uttering  a  pleas- 
ant story.  They  both  wished  very  much  that  Father  Taylor, 
of  Boston,  had  been  there." 

"  Several  Sundaj-s,"  and  his  doings  in  them,  are  noted  in 
the  Trumpet  of  Feb.  18.  On  Jan.  8,  he  was  in  Providence, 
R.I.,  at  the  Second  Universalist  Church.  On  the  loth,  he 
was  in  Milford,  Mass.  ;  on  the  next  Sabbath,  in  East  Cam- 
bridge, in  absence  of  the  pastor  of  the  church,  Rev.  II.  W. 
Rugg,  who  was  in  ill  health  ;  on  the  29th,  in  Haverhill,  Mass. ; 
and  on  the  5th  of  February,  at  East  Boston. 

Of  the  second  Sabbath  in  February,  he  writes :   "It  was 


348  MEMOIR  or 

our  happy  lot  to  spend  this  day  in  Roxbur}-,  Mass.,  with  tho 
church  just  left  without  a  pastor  in  consequence  of  the  re- 
moval of  Rev.  W.  H.  Ryder  from  them  to  Chicago.  It  was 
a  satisfaction  to  us  to  stand  once  more  in  the  town  where  we 
commenced  our  ministry  in  the  3~ear  1820." 

He  is  much  pleased  with  his  first  Sabbath  spent  in  Clare- 
mout,  N.H.  It  was  at  a  new  opening  of  the  church  after 
repairs  upon  it  had  been  made.  The  day  was  inauspicious 
on  account  of  the  weather,  but  the  attendance  was  large. 
He  writes  :  "  It  was  a  somewhat  painful  service.  The  house 
was  very  warm,  and  we  feared  a  repetition  of  the  fainting 
scene  of  the  preceding  Sunday,  at  Manchester,  N.H.  Our 
strength,  however,  did  not  utterly  fail,  but  we  went  to  our 
quarters  exhausted."  He  notes  the  changes  that  had  taken 
place  in  the  society,  especially  b}-  death ;  and  of  the  effi- 
ciency of  the  Sunday  school  in  keeping  up  its  vitality.  He 
speaks  with  much  tenderness  of  Father  Abraham  Fisher, 
who  was  for  so  many  years  a  constant  attendant  on  the 
church  services,  and  of  his  excellent  wife,  who  gave  the  bell 
in  the  tower  to  the  society.  Of  the  best  helpers  of  the  society 
at  the  tune  of  his  visit,  he  sa}'s  :  "  They  are  not  men  of  gold 
watches  and  moustaches,  but  men  of  iudustr}',  honesty, 
econoni}-,  temperance,  patriotism  ;  solid  farmers,  honest  mer- 
chants, and  the  like." 

Two  Sabbath  services  are  lost  to  him  in  April,  because  of 
illness  and  confinement  at  home.  Congregations  in  Concord, 
N.H.,  and  Acton,  Mass.,  are  thus  disappointed.  His  reflec- 
tions are  :  "  We  are  not  worn  out ;  our  work  is  not  done,  we 
think ;  we  speak  reverently :  but  while  the  Lord  has  any 
thing  for  us  to  do  we  shall  live." 

<  >n  the  second  Sunday  in  May,  Mr.  AVhittemore  officiated 
in  the  First  Universalist  Church  in  Lowell,  Mass.  The  pas- 
tor, Rev.  J.  J.  Twiss,  was  present.  In  the  afternoon  the 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  349 

ordinance  of  baptism  was  administered  to  about  a  dozen 
children  ;  by  Mr.  Whittemore  to  the  child  of  the  pastor,  Mr. 
Twiss,  and  by  the  latter  to  the  remainder.  After  the  bap- 
tism, Mr.  Whittemore  commenced  a  discourse  from  Matthew 
xviii.  2,  3  :  "And  Jesus  called  a  little  child  unto  him,"  &c. 
While  in  the  midst  of  the  discourse,  the  preacher  was  over- 
.come  with  sudden  illness,  which  compelled  him  to  call  upon 
Mr.  Twiss,  the  pastor,  to  finish  the  discourse,  which  the  lat- 
ter did,  taking  it  up  at  the  point  where  Mr.  Whittemore  left 
it,  and  carrying  it  through  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  present. 
Mr.  Whittemore  recovered  so  as  to  address  the  congregation 
before  the  close  of  the  service.  He  expressed  the  hope  that 
he  might  soon  be  well  again.  He  thought  that  for  danger  to 
life,  this  attack  was  not  to  be  compared  to  the  one  experi- 
enced by  him  in  Warren,  Mass.,  in  1854.  He  advised  his 
friends  not  to  be  alarmed. 

In  a  consideration  of  the  question,  "Which  is  the  best 
view  of  God?"  he  writes  :  "  Our  Saviour  gave  this  direction 
to  his  disciples  ;  '  Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect.'  Many  descriptions  have  been 
given  of  God's  character.  We  will  now  note  only  three  :  — 

"•  1.  It  has  been  said  that  God  from  all  eteruit}-,  without 
regard  to  faith,  works,  or  conditions,  elected  a  part  of  man- 
kind to  everlasting  h'fe,  and  reprobated  the  remainder  to  end- 
less suffering.  The  elect  he  loves,  bestows  blessings  upon 
them  in  this  life,  and  will  grant  them  endless  happiness  in 
the  next.  The  reprobate  he  hates :  if  he  bestows  on  them 
any  good  thing  here,  it  is  only  to  aggravate  their  final  dread- 
ful doom.  How  would  the  character  of  a  man  appear  who 
should  thus  deal  with  his  children?  Yet  this  conduct  should 
be  imitated  by  all  who  verily  believe  that  God  conducts  thus. 

"  2.  It  has  been  said  that  God  loves  all  men,  and  has  made 
salvation  possible  for  all ;  but  at  the  same  time  has  given 


350  MEMOIR    OF 

men  an  '  agency '  which  he  fully  knows  will  hinder  the  sal- 
vation of  man}-.  Let  a  man  conduct  thus.  Let  him  profess 
to  love  all  his  children,  and  to  desire  the  continuation  of  their 
lives ;  at  the  same  time  let  him  give  them  food  which  he 
knows  they  love,  in  which  he  has  mingled  so  much  poison 
that  he  knows  it  will  destro}*  the  lives  of  one  half  the  number. 
This  would  be  God-like,  if  the  conduct  of  God  be  such  as 
has  been  represented.  But,  God-like  or  not,  such  conduct 
would  be  rewarded  by  our  magistrates  with  hanging. 

"3.  It  has  been  said  that  God  loves  all  men  ;  is  good  unto 
all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works ;  that  he 
bestows  all  the  good  men  enjoy  in  this  life ;  and  not  only 
desires,  but  will  assuredly  accomplish  the  everlasting  salvation 
of  the  whole  human  family.  Let  man  imitate  this  character. 
He  need  not  hate  any  one.  His  benevolence  may  extend  not 
only  to  all  his  own  family,  but  to  the  whole  human  race  ;  and 
by  exercising  this  benevolence  he  imitates  God. 

"Reader,  which  character,  think  yon,  should  man  imitate 
to  become  holy?  Think  of  these  things.  Remember,  it  is 
your  duty  to  become  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  in  heaven 
is  perfect." 

In  his  first  number  of  the  new  volume  of  the  Trumpet 
(June  2,  I860),  he  writes  of  his  faith  :  "  We  always  preached 
Universalism.  ."We  thought  it  a  glorious  doctrine  when  we 
began,  and  we  think  so  now.  We  rejoice  in  what  we  have 
done.  We  look  back  from  the  stand-point  of  threescore 
years,  and  devoutly  thank  God  that  we  never,  in  a  single  in- 
stance, preached  any  thing  adverse  to  Universalism.  True, 
we  have  sometimes  made  mistakes,  and  are  far  from  being  a 
perfect  man,  but  we  rejoice  that  in  our  whole  ministry  we 
never  felt  the  slightest  temptation  to  swerve  from  that  great 
doctrine,  which  is  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 

He  is  particularly  inquisitive  as  to  the  anxiousuess  of  Rev. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  351 

C.  F.  Hudson  to  disseminate  his  theological  opinions  in  refer- 
ence to  the  endless  destruction  (or  annihilation)  of  a  part  of 
the  human  race.  He  has  announced  a  new  book  entitled 
"Christ  our  Life,"  the  object  of  which  is  to  prove,  not  so 
much  that  Christ  is  our  life,  as  that  a  part  of  the  human  race 
shall  be  endlessly  and  radical!}-  destroyed.  "•  What  is  it,"  he 
asks,  "  that  makes  this  theme  so  sweet  to  Mr.  Hudson?  If 
he  were  at  work  for  Universalism,  we  could  easily  account  for 
his  zeal,  for  then  what  he  would  reveal,  it  would  do  mankind 
good  to  know.  But  who  is  to  be  benefited  by  being  befogged 
on  the  subject  of  destruction  ?  Will  the  sick  and  the  dying 
be  any  happier  if  the}-  receive  Mr.  Hudson's  doctrine  of  de- 
struction ?  Certainly  not,  for  there  is  no  comfort  in  it.  Mr. 
Hudson  became  sick  of  the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment, 
and  sought  a  remedy  for  that  doctrine.  But  his  favorite 
theory  leaves  men  in  darkness,  doubt,  and  despair.  It  is 
unworthy  of  God." 

It  is  a  lively  Anniversary  Week  again  in  Boston.  Mr. 
Whittemore  took  part  with  great  earnestness  in  the  meetings 
that  were  held  by  the  Universalists.  The  prayer  and  confer- 
ence meetings  were  of  high  interest.  Three  thousand  Sab- 
bath-school children  and  their  teachers  held  a  meeting  in 
Tremont  Temple.  The  Festival  at  Faneuil  Hall  was  one  of 
the  highest  order.  Horace  Greeley,  Esq.,  of  Xew  York,  pre- 
sided. He  made  a  timely  and  noble  address ;  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  Rev.  Messrs.  Rugg,  Thayer,  H.  C.  Leonard,  Deere, 
Spaulding,  Bolles,  and  A.  B.  Fuller  (Unitarian,  whose  life 
was  afterwards  given  for  his  country  in  the  war  of  the  Rebel- 
lion). Mr.  Whittemore  writes  of  the  meetings :  "  One  thing 
which  gave  peculiar  power  to  the  public  meetings  of  Anni- 
versary Week,  was  the  fact  that  the  speakers  were  all  taken 
from  the  young  men.  The  Uuiversalists  never  had  a  better 
series  of  speakers.  And  the  best  is  yet  to  come.  There  is 


352  MEMOIR   OF 

a  batch  of  young  orators  at  Tufts  College  who  will  confer 
great  honor  on  their  parents,  friends,  and  the  denomination, 
who  will  surpass  altogether  the  }'oung  orators  of  the  late  An- 
niversary Week.  The  noble  banner  of  our  church  will  be 
borne  up  well  by  the  young  men." 

His  friend  and  brother,  Rev.  Dr.  Sawyer,  entreats  him  to 
remit  his  labors,  and  take  life  more  easily.  "  Nurse  yourself. 
Do  not  think  it  your  duty  to  wear  yourself  out  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  beg  you  do  not  be  in  such  haste.  We  cannot 
spare  yon  for  years  to  come.  You  are  not  an  old  man  j-et, 
and  with  proper  care  are  worth  half  a  dozen  boys  for  twenty 
years  to  come."  Mr.  Whittemore  acknowledges  the  kind 
and  heart- touching  exhortation.  "  We  have  had  such  ad- 
monitory words  from  Mrs.  Whittemore  and  our  children,  on 
this  subject.  Our  famib/  physician  has  threatened  us  with 
sundr}-  penalties.  Our  coadjutors  in  the  active  business  of 
life  have  admonished  us.  But  the  trees  will  throw  off  their 
foliage  at  the  winter's  blast ;  the  flowers  will  fall ;  man  goeth 
to  his  long  home,  and  the  mourners  go  about  the  streets. 
Then  shall  the  dust  return  unto  the  earth  as  it  was,  and  the 
spirit  shall  return  unto  God  who  gave  it." 

His  testimony  against  the  use  of  the  "  vile  weed  "  is  sen- 
sible and  manly.  "Some  person  writes  us,  'Do  you  use 
tobacco?  Do  you  chew,  or  smoke,  or  take  snuff?'  We 
answer  very  readily  that  we  do  not.  There  might  have  been 
a  time  years  ago,  when  we  did  chew  tobacco  slightly  and 
sometimes  smoke  cigars.  We  believed  at  last  that  the  practice 
did  us  no  good,  and  we  abandoned  it,  wholly,  totally,  and 
shall  never  resume  it.  It  was  offensive  to  personal  clean- 
liness ;  it  clouded  the  brain  in  some  degree.  In  our  case  it 
was  evil,  and  only  evil.  We  never  loved  it;  but,  if  we  had 
l«vi-il  it  as  the  toper  loves  brand}',  we  should  have  abandoned 
it.  This  is  all  we  have  to  say." 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  353 

He  notes  a  fact  in  reference  to  the  connection  of  Fore- 
fathers' Rock  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  Universalism.  "  Uni- 
versalism  is  established  on  Forefathers'  Rock  more  directly 
than  any  other  religion.  All  the  churches  in  Plymouth 
except  the  Uuiversalist,  are  located  at  some  distance  from 
the  Rock.  In  fact,  it  is  not  certain  that  a  part  of  the  orig- 
inal Rock  does  not  lie  directly  under  the  Uuiversalist  church. 
We  are  speaking  of  the  veritable  Rock  in  its  original  place, 
and  not  of  that  piece  which  was  split  off  and  earned  up  into 
the  village,  and  deposited  in  front  of  Pilgrim  Hall.  The  very 
spot  where  the  feet  of  the  forefathers  first  touched  the  shore 
was  precisely  where  the  Universalist  church  now  stands. 
There  is  a  narrow  street  between  the  outer  face  of  the  Rock 
and  the  Universalist  church  ;  but  it  is  probable  that  a  part  of 
the  original  Rock,  in  the  place  of  its  formation,  lies  under 
that  church.  The  Universalist  church  in  Plymouth,  then,  is 
the  real  Pilgrim  church.  Its  preacher  stands  on  Forefathers' 
Rock  on  every  Sabbath  day,  to  break  to  the  people  the  bread 
of  life." 

In  June,  Mr.  Whittemore  visited  Newport,  N.H.,  to 
attend  the  Xew  Hampshire  Convention.  "  We  went  up,"  he 
says,  "  for  the  benefit  of  health,  for  the  fresh  air  of  the  Xew 
Hampshire  hills,  for  the  society  of  friends,  for  the  diversion 
of  the  mind  to  inspiring  subjects.  The  Sunday-school 
meeting  was  full  of  Interest.  That  excellent  Superintendent, 
Brother  Parker,  of  Nashua,  presided.  One  ofter  another,  the 
Superintendents  arose  to  make  statements  respecting  the 
schools.  The  Methodist  clerg}-man  was  present,  and  made 
an  address  in  union  with  the  spirit  of  the  meeting.  The 
writer  tried  to  preach  on  the  last  afternoon  of  the  session. 
He  did  not  faint,  but  went  through  to  the  end.  Perhaps  this 
may  be  regarded  as  a  violation  of  his  promise.  If  so,  he 
hopes  it  will  be  forgiven  him.  The  journe}*  did  him  good." 

23 


354  MEMOIR    OF 

In  August,  he  made  his  first  visit  to  the  Isles  of  Shoals, 
nine  miles  from  Portsmouth,  N.H.  His  wife  accompanied 
him  ;  and,  aside  from  a  short  but  severe  sea-sickness  on  her 
part,  the  trip  was  a  very  enjoyable  one. 

At  the  last  of  the  same  month,  he  visited  Vermont,  and 
attended  the  State  Convention  at  Cavendish.  The  visit  was 
exceedingly  enjoyable  to  him.  The  meetings  were  very  large, 
and  the  services  of  deep  interest.  Mr.  Whittemore  made  an 
address  on  the  morning  of  the  second  day.  He  spoke  for 
nearly  an  hour  without  fatiguing  himself.  In  his  account  of 
his  visit,  he  gives  a  glowing  description  of  Vermont  and  its 
staid  and  thriving  people.  Of  those  with  whom  he  mingled 
most,  he  writes:  "There  are  no  better  people  in  the  world 
than  the  Universalists  of  Vermont.  We  do  not  sa}-  they  are 
perfect,  but  they  come  as  near  to  it  as  any  people  we  have 
ever  seen.  Perhaps  our  picture  is  too  glowingl}*  painted ; 
but  remember  we  go  among  Universalists ;  and,  if  our  pic- 
ture is  too  bright  for  people  in  general,  attribute  it  to  our 
keeping  the  very  best  of  company." 

He  has  some  pertinent  remarks  eh'cited  by  King  Agrippa' s 
word,  "  Almost,"  in  his  sa}-iug  to  Paul.  "  Almost  thou  per- 
suadest  me  to  be  a  Christian  :  — 

"  Agrippa  was  nearly  balanced  on  the  pivot  of  convic- 
tion ;  but  the  beam  did  not  gain  an  equilibrium.  The  king- 
doms of  this  world  outweighed  the  heavenly  kingdom. 
Touching  Paul,  '  Almost '  was  a  confession  of  his  success : 
but  touching  Agrippa,  it  was  a  record  of  defectiveness,  short- 
coming, irresolution,  a  yielding  to  temptation,  a  controlling 
worldliness ;  in  short,  failure.  To  confess  one's  self  a! must 
pei'suaded  is  to  confess  one's  self  unpersuaded,  —  almost  a 
Christian,  not  a  Christian.  The  -man  who  is  only  almost  able 
to  take  up  his  note  at  the  bank  fails,  and  is  reported  as 
bankrupt.  He  who  is  almost  persuaded  to  relieve  the  needy 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  355 

leaves  them  in  want.  The  navigator  that  can  almost  keep 
his  reckoning  drives  upon  the  rocks  and  is  a  castaway. 
'  Almost '  has  a  certain  warmth  in  it.  a  certain  coloring,  a 
certain  temper  quite  its  own.  It  is  a  prophecy  of  what  might 
have  been,  a  confession  of  what  ought  to  be  ;  but  as  a  record 
of  what  is,  it  is  a  sj'nonyme  for  failure. 

"  But  it  is  not  simply  failure.  It  is  a  precursor  of  failures 
to  come.  It  tells  of  duty  neglected,  of  moral  commands 
disobeyed,  of  promptings  of  conscience  disregarded.  A 
neglect  of  duty  is  the  deadening  of  the  moral  sense.  He 
who  hears  often  the  plaint  of  the  poor,  and  heeds  it  not,  will 
cease  at  length  even  to  hear  it.  The  unemployed  husband, 
or  unfilial  son  or  daughter,  who  sits  by  the  fireside  and 
lifts  not  a  hand  to  ease  the  burdens  of  the  wife  and  mother  in 
her  daily  toil,  comes  at  length  to  feel  that  she  is  by  right  the 
servant,  while  the}*  are  practically  guests  in  the  mansion. 
They  fail  to  read  as  they  ought,  their  own  self-condemnation 
in  the  lines  of  care  upon  her  toil-worn  face.  Duty  neglected 
darkens  the  understanding,  blunts  the  sensibilities,  and 
chokes  out  the  life.  Duty  performed  clarifies  the  perceptions, 
quickens  the  conscience,  and  strengthens  the  whole  man  in 
good.  Let  us  beware  of  joining  the  school  of  Agrippa  ;  but 
rather  }-ield  to  Paul's  persuasiveness,  — '  I  would  to  God 
that  not  only  thou,  but  also  all  that  hear  me  this  day,  were 
both  almost  and  altogether  such  as  I  am,  except  these 
bonds.' " 

The  United  States  Convention  held  its  annual  session  this 
year  in  Boston.  Mr.  "NVhittemore  writes  of  it:  "The  occa- 
sion has  come  and  gone.  Boston  has  been  flooded  with  Uni- 
versalists.  Individually,  we  had  as  much  as  we  could  do  in 
receiving  the  brethren  and  friends  from  the  countn*  at  37 
Cornhill.  Our  own  house  at  Cambridgeport  was  well  filled 
with  friends  from  a  distance,  and  we  took  great  pleasure  in 


356  MEMOIR  OF 

having  them  there.  The  happiest  hour  of  the  week  was  on 
"Wednesday  evening,  after  the  lecture,  when  in  our  own  par- 
lor, with  the  accompaniment  of  the  piano,  we  all  joined  in 
singing  conference  hymns.  It  seemed  to  us  that  we  were 
well.  We  felt  that  we  had  health  and  strength  to  preach. 
We  longed  to  be  in  the  pulpit.  [He  was  not  strong  at  the 
tune.]  So  much  for  the  influence  of  our  friends  upon  our 
heart.  Their  presence  did  us  good.  We  have  no  doubt  that, 
in  all  the  Universalist  families  hereabouts,  there  was  much 

joy." 

In  a  brief  article  entitled  "Three  Ways  to  Live,"  he  has 
some  pleasant  and  profitable  thoughts  :  — 

"  I  have  three  ways  to  live :  I  live  in  the  present ;  I  live  in 
the  past ;  I  live  in  the  future.  I  live  in  my  labor,  in  my  en- 
joyments, at  the  head  of  my  family,  as  editor  of  the  Trumpet, 
as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel ;  these  are  present  things. 

' '  I  li ve  in  the  past ;  and  how  ?  I  am  continually  living 
my  life  over  again.  I  forget  little  that  I  have  done.  I 
remember  the  scenes  I  have  witnessed  ;  the  men  and  women 
I  have  known ;  the  aged  fathers  in  our  ministry ;  the  Con- 
ventions of  olden  time ;  the  controversies  of  those  days ; 
men  now  in  the  middle  of  life  I  remember  as  very  .young 
men,  and  their  children,  now  twenty-five  and  thirty,  when 
they  were  babes  in  their  mothers'  arms.  In  this  wa}'  I  live 
in  the  past.  Why  should  the  past  be  forgotten?  It  is  the 
only  thing  we  have  to  remember.  We  cannot  remember  the 
future,  neither  can  we  remember  the  present  until  it  has 
passed.  Why  did  God  give  us  our  memories?  It  is  that  we 
might  remember  what  has  gone  by  us.  How  unwise  are 
those  who  speak  of  past  things  as  unworthy  of  our  remem- 
brance ! 

"But  there  is  still  another  way  to  live;  I  mean  in  the 
future.  I  live  in  faith  and  hope.  I  believe  what  the  Word 


THOMAS    WHJTTEMORE.  857 

of  God  declares.  I  believe  that  if  I  die  I  shall  live  again. 
When  I  lie  down  at  night,  I  believe  I  shall  awake  in  the 
morning ;  and  when  I  shall  lie  down  upon  my  death-bed,  I 
shall  hope  to  awake  in  the  resurrection.  But  the  sceptic  will 
say,  You  do  not  knoio  these  things.  We  did  not  say  we  did 
know  them.  ~\Yc  said  they  were  matters  of  faith  and  hope. 
I  know  them  better  than  I  knew  what  I  was  to  have  in  this 
life  before  I  was  born.  I  have  never  believed  too  much ;  I 
have  always  believed  too  little.  God  has  surprised  me  with 
my  present  existence  ;  he  has  brought  me  out  of  darkness 
into  marvellous  light.  I  thus  live  in  the  present,  in  the  past, 
and  in  the  future." 


358  MEMOIR    OF 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

1860-1861. 
AGED   60-61. 

Prostrate  again  —  His  Last  Sermon,  in  Maiden  —  Resolutions  from  Mas- 
sachusetts Convention  :  Reply  —  Expressions  of  Sympathy  —  Sale  of 
the  Trumpet  —  Question,  "  What  am  I?  "  considered  —  Interviews 
with  Friends  —  Revival  of  Strength  —  Decline  —  The  Departure  — 
Funeral  Services  —  Discourse  by  Rev.  C.  A.  Skinner  —  Other  Tributes 
to  him. 

IN  the  Trumpet  of  Oct.  13,  there  is  an  editorial  notice 
headed  "  The  Editor  Prostrate  Again."  He  was  taken  down 
soon  after  the  Convention.  On  Sunday,  Sept.  23,  he  rode 
with  Mrs.  Whittemore  to  Maiden  to  spend  the  day  with  Rev. 
Mr.  Greenwood,  not  to  preach,  but  to  see  his  old  friends  in 
that  town.  He  heard  Mr.  Greenwood  preach  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  took  part  in  the  sen-ice.  In  the  afternoon,  with  but 
little  urging,  he  consented  to  preach :  it  was  so  hard  to  deny 
himself  that  enjoyment !  But  it  was  too  much  for  him.  He 
was  taken  down  on  the  following  Wednesday.  The  family 
insisted  that  a  consulting  physician  must  be  called,  and  his 
opposition  yielded.  Dr.  Thompson  of  Charlestown,  his  long 
tried  and  excellent  friend,  was  sent  for,  to  meet  Dr.  Allen, 
his  family  physician.  After  a  very  careful  examination,  they 
decided  that  there  was  no  enlargement  of  the  liver,  nothing 
of  a  scirrlions  nature  in  the  stomach,  but  possibly  a  slight 
irritation  of  the  mucous  membrane.  They  advised  that  there 
must  be  quiet,  especially  of  the  mind,  which  had  been  too 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  359 

much  worked.  He  should  lie  by  for  a  time,  and  good  treat- 
ment might  bring  him  up.  If  he  fell  any  lower,  they  could 
not  reach  him.  They  thought  him  in  that  respect  in  a  dan- 
gerous condition. 

The  Massachusetts  Convention  held  its  session  this  year 
at  Springfield.  Mr.  TVhittemore  was  missed  there,  and  the 
fact  of  his  severe  illness  caused  much  sadness  on  the  part  of 
his  ministerial  brethren  and  many  friends.  The  following 
resolution,  offered  to  the  Convention  b}~  Rev.  A.  G.  Laurie, 
AV;IS  unanimously  adopted :  — 

"  Resolved,  That  this  Convention  hears  of  the  serious  ill- 
ness of  Rev.  Thomas  "\Vhitteniore  with  great  sorrow,  that 
they  send  to  hirn  on  his  sick-bed  the  sympathy  of  their 
brotherl}'  love,  and  their  earnest  hope  that  the  human  skill 
and  love  which  are  now  contending  with  disease  for  his  health 
and  life  ma}'  be  blessed  by  our  Heavenby  Father  to  his  re- 
coveiy,  and  his  restoration  to  his  former  duties."  Rev.  N. 
M.  Gay  lord  was  appointed  a  Committee  to  convey  the  reso- 
lution to  Mr.  Whittemore. 

It  was  gratefully  received,  and  tenderly  and  affectionately 
answered.  He  writes  in  the  Trumpet  to  his  "  Dear  Brethren 
of  the  Massachusetts  Convention  :  "  "  On  Thursday,  Oct.  18, 
as  I  lay  upon  my  bed,  Rev.  N.  M.  Gaylord  was  announced 
as  having  a  desire  to  see  me.  He  was  immediate!}-  invited 
to  my  chamber,  when  I  expressed  to  him  my  astonishment 
that  he  had  not  been  to  Springfield  in  attendance  on  the  Con- 
vention. '  But  I  have,'  said  he  ;  '  I  have  just  returned  from 
there  ;  and  have  come  down  to  bring  you  a  letter  from  the 
brethren  assembled  in  council ;  a  letter  of  S3"mpathy  and 
love,  expressing  a  hope  that  you  may  be  restored  to  health. 
It  is  one  of  the  pleasantest  duties  I  ever  was  charged  with  b}r 
any  Convention,  to  bear  this  letter  to  you.'  I  thanked  him 
out  of  my  heart. 


860  MEMOIR   OF 

"  It  does  me  good  to  know  that  I  am  not  forgotten  by  my 
ministering  brethren  in  my  season  of  weakness  and  weariness. 
All  I  can  do  is  to  lie  still,  looking  upward  to  heaven.  I 
have  great  time  for  reflection.  I  have  tried  my  faith  over 
and  over  again.  I  have  tried  it  in  ever}-  form.  I  can  try  it 
without  actually  passing  through  the  veil.  It  sustains  me ; 
it  gives  me  hope  and  strength  and  life.  With  an  opposite 
faith,  it  seems  to  me  that  I  should  be  the  most  miserable 
being  in  the  world.  The  stronger  my  faith  grows,  the  happier 
I  am. 

"  I  accept,  dear  brethren,  your  sympathy.  I  do  not  feel 
worthy  of  your  remembrance.  I  am  weak  and  feeble,  and 
cannot  make  any  suitable  reply.  "Where  could  I  find  a  band  of 
brethren  w;hom  I  could  love  as  I  have  loved  these  Universalists  ? 
They  have  had  my  whole  life.  Very  little  of  it  is  left  to  me 
now.  You  are  my  brethren,  and  I  can  never,  never  turn 
away  from  you.  '  May  the  Lord  bless  }-ou,  and  keep  you ; 
may  he  make  his  face  to  shine  upon  you,  and  be  gracious 
unto  }-ou ;  may  he  lift  up  the  light  of  his  countenance  upon  • 
you,  and  give  you  peace.  Amen.'  I  subscribe  m}-self,  most 
affectionately,  3'our  brother  in  Christ. 

"  THOMAS  WHITTEMORE." 

Rev.  A.  G.  Laurie,  of  Charlestown,  wrote  in  reference  to 
this  action  of  the  Convention :  ' '  When  the  resolution  was 
proposed,  it  was  supported  by  every  member  of  the  house 
rising  to  his  feet.  Man}'  persons  among  them  dissented  from 
the  published  sentiments  of  the  7"rmn/>t'f  in  reference  to  the 
Constitution  of  the  new  Convention  ;  and,  indeed,  the  motion 
was  made  during  a  somewhat  excited  state  of  feeling  on  that 
very  subject ;  but  instantly  the  simultaneous  expression  of 
respect  and  affection  from  the  whole  body  made  by  that 
action,  declared  how  firm  is  the  attachment  of  the  Universal- 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  361 

ist  clergymen  and  lait}'  to  one  who  has  been  so  long  and  usefully 
a  chief  worker  in  the  common  cause  ;  and  with  what  gratitude 
for  his  past  services,  and  with  what  an  interest  of  love  in  his 
present  illness,  the  sympathies  of  the  brethren  gather  round 
a  life  whose  preservation  is  of  such  great  value  to  us  all." 

Letters  of  sympathy  come  in  to  him  from  various  sources  ; 
from  his  ministering  brethren  especially.  They  are  greatly  com- 
forting to  him.  His  views  of  Christ  are  fervently  expressed  in 
a  reply  to  a  letter  from  Rev.  J.  G.  Forman,  of  Alton,  111. : 
"  I  thank  }-ou  when  j-ou  pray  that  the  Restorer  and  Saviour 
may  stand  at  my  side.  I  have  long  had  some  acquaintance 
with  this  Saviour.  I  was  taught  to  lisp  his  name  in  my 
tender  youth.  He  accompanied  me  through  my  boyhood, 
like  a  bright  angel  at  my  side.  In  my  twenty-first  year,  he 
sealed  me  (although  very  unworthy)  as  a  preacher  of  his 
grace  ;  blessed  be  his  name  !  Praise  him,  all  3-6  angels  !  From 
that  time  to  the  present,  he  has  been  near  me.  For  the  little 
that  I  have  done  for  the  cause  of  his  truth,  I  desire  to  be 
very  thankful." 

When  lying  very  weak  and  low,  his  son-in-law  said  to  him, 
"  I  am  about  to  write  to  Dr.  Chapin  :  what  shall  I  sa}*  to  him 
for  you?"  "  Oh  !  "  said  he,  "  I  will  try  to  write  one  more 
epistle,  and  it  shall  be  addressed  to  Brother  Chapin."  He 
sat  at  his  bedside,  and  with  his  own  hand  wrote  the  letter. 
It  was  a  farewell  to  his  esteemed  brother.  Dr.  Chapin's  en- 
gagements brought  him  soon  to  Worcester,  from  which  place 
he  wrote  the  following  epistle  :  — 

"  WORCESTER,  Nov.  15,  1860. 

"MT  DEAR  BROTHER  WHITTEMORE,  — I  write,  not  knowing 
whether  this  will  find  3~ou  on  the  shores  of  time  or  not.  Should 
it  do  so,  accept  my  heartfelt  thanks  for  your  letter.  I  assure 
you  that  the  love  which  you  express  in  it  for  me  is  fully  re- 


362  MEMOIR   OF 

ciprocated.  My  thoughts  have  been  much  upon  you  of  late. 
I  should  like  to  have  seen  you,  but  am  forbidden  by  engage- 
ments. But  you  need  no  consolation  or  encouragement  from 
me.  Your  faith  is  sufficient  for  you.  and  I  rejoice  at  it. 
Our  intercourse  has  been  very  pleasant ;  not  interrupted  by  a 
single  harsh  word  or  any  unkind  feeling.  May  it  be  renewed 

where  — 

" '  Congregations  ne'er  break  up, 
And  Sabbaths  never  end.' 

"  Affectionately  yours, 

"  E.  H.  CHAPIN." 

In  the  Trumpet  of  March  23,  1861,  a  notice  appears  stating 
that  this  paper  has  passed  from  his  hands.  He  feels  that  the 
labor,  care,  and  anxiety  attending  the  publication  of  it  is 
more  than  he  is  able  to  bear.  His  family,  his  friends,  and 
his  physician  think  he  ought  to  be  relieved  of  all  labor  and 
care  not  positively  necessary.  He  feels  anxious  for  the  paper. 
"  Acting  in  accordance  with  this  conviction,  he  has  sold  the 
Trumpet  establishment,  with  all  its  accounts  for  subscriptions 
and  advertising,  to  Rev.  James  M.  Usher,  who  has  the  best 
wishes  of  the  retiring  editor  and  publisher,  that  he  ma}-  be 
successful  in  the  new  enterprise  which  he  has  already  assumed. 
May  the  paper  deserve  and  receive  a  more  extensive  patron- 
age than  it  has  ever  enjoyed  in  the  past."  The  paper  was, 
in  after  years,  united  with  the  Christian  Freeman,  published 
by  Rev.  Sylvanus  Cobb  ;  and  was  subsequently  purchased  by 
the  New  England  Universalist  Publishing  House,  who  con- 
tinue to  issue  it  from  the  same  office,  37  Cornhill,  under  the 
name  of  the  Universalist. 

During  the  winter,  he  was  confined  most  of  the  time  to  his 
bed.  There  he  met  his  friends  with  cheerfulness,  and  gave 
them  repeated  evidences  of  his  firm  faith  in  the  principles  he 
had  so  long  and  so  earnestly  advocated.  The  faith  which 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  363 

had  sustained  him  in  life  now  shed  its  radiance  upon  him  as 
he  neared  the  confines  of  "  the  morning  land."  His  walk 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  he  did  not  fear, 
for  the  rod. and  staff  of  the  Lord  gave  him  assurance  and 
support. 

"  One  day,"  writes  his  son-in-law,  "  my  father  called  me  to 
his  bedside,  and  pointed  out  to  me  the  following  article, 
and  said,  '  I  wrote  that  many  years  ago.  It  truly  expresses 
my  mind  now.' " 

' '  WHAT  AM  i  ? 

"  What  am  I  if  Atheism  be  true?  A  poor,  blind  creature 
of  chance.  My  race  came  into  existence  I  know  not  how ; 
and,  when  I  die,  I  am  to  perish  for  ever,  like  the  beasts.  The 
beasts  have  the  advantage  of  me,  for  they  have  no  desire  for 
immortality  ;  but  I  have  a  desire,  which  is  to  be  mocked  and 
tormented. 

"  What  am  I,  if  Calvinism  be  true?  Perhaps  one  of  the 
elect,  perhaps  not.  I  may  be  damned  for  ever ;  and  if  not, 
some  of  my  dearest  friends  may,  which  is  about  the  same 
thing.  Miserable  consolation ! 

' '  What  am  I  if  Arminianism  be  true  ?  My  eternal  destiny 
in  that  case  is  committed  to  my  own  keeping,  —  to  the  care 
of  a  poor,  blind,  erring  creature,  who  cannot  tell  what  even  a 
day  will  bring  forth. 

' '  What  am  I  if  Universalism  be  true  ?  I  am  a  child  of 
God,  a  creature  formed  in  his  moral  image,  an  heir  of  eternity, 
on  whom  God  will  bestow  unfailing  blessedness.  I  find  myself 
in  this  world,  but  I  know  that  this  is  not  my  home.  It  is 
only  a  temporary  resting-place,  the  place  of  my  journeying, 
the  road  on  which  I  walk  to  the  abode  of  the  immortals.  I 
find  that  I  do  not  belong  to  earth.  Death  is  '  the  gate  of 
endless  joy.'  I  need  not  fear  annihilation  ;  I  need  not  fear 


364  MEMOIR    OF 

•what  is  worse,  —  eternal  woe  ;  but  I  may  believe  without  a 
doubt,  and  I  may  exult  in  this  faith  with  a  pure  and  holy  joy, 
that  I  am  a  brother  of  angels  and  a  child  of  God.  This  is 
what  I  am  if  the  doctrine  of  Universalism  be  true  ;  and  I  re- 
joice that  all  my  fellow-creatures  are  the  same.  How  should 
we  live  under  the  influence  of  this  doctrine  ?  "NVhat  will  be 
the  natural  effect  of  it  in  our  hearts  ?  Answer  :  It  will  pro- 
mote love  to  God,  love  to  men,  even  to  enemies ;  it  will 
enable  us  to  raise  our  thoughts  from  the  grovelling  pursuits 
of  life,  and  fix  them  upon  heavenly  things." 

Many  pleasant  interviews  with  friends  were  held  at  his 
bedside.  One  was  enjoyed  by  the  writer  of  this  memoir.  He 
found  the  invalid  in  a  happy  frame  of  mind.  He  spoke  of  a 
rich  season  he  had  enjoyed  with  some  of  his  ministering 
brethren  and  others,  in  the  morning ;  as  also  of  a  call  made 
upon  him  that  day  by  his  friend  Mr.  Green,  Mayor  of  the 
city,  who  had  once  been  a  pastor  in  Cambridge.  "You 
have  fought  a  good  fight,  my  dear  sir,"  said  Mr.  Green. 
"  Ah ! "  said  the  sick  one,  "  let  me  say  those  other  words  in 
that  passage  of  the  apostle  :  '  /  have  kept  the  faith  : '  that  is 
my  great  blessing  now."  The  whole  interview  with  the  call- 
ers at  this  time  was  deeply  impressive,  and  gave  to  those 
present  renewed  assurance  of  the  value  of  the  faith  and  hope 
of  the  Gospel. 

After  this  time,  there  came  a  brief  revival  of  his  powers. 
He  was  able  to  leave  his  house  again,  and  even  made  a  visit 
to  the  office  in  Cornhill.  But  after  some  weeks  he  began 
to  fail,  and  the  end  evidently  appeared  near.  Towards  the 
last,  he  was  calm  and  trustful.  He  said  to  a  brother  at  his 
bedside,  "My  work  is  done;  I  leave  my  work  behind  me. 
What  I  have  preached  is  the  truth,  nothing  but  the  truth.  I 
have  nothing  to  take  back  —  nothing  —  nothing.  I  am  almost 
surprised  at  my  frame  of  mind,  that  I  view  my  approaching 


THOMAS    WIIITTEMORE.  365 

departure  with  so  little  dread  ;  but  my  faith  is  as  strong  as 
it  ever  was.  I  have  got  so  far  on  the  way,  that  I  do  not 
know  that  I  want  to  be  called  back  again."  And  then  he 
repeated  the  lines  of  the  poet :  — 

"  Vital  spark  of  heavenly  flame,"  &c. 

His  pastor,  who  preached  his  funeral  sermon,  truly  said, 
'•  His  victor}'  did  not  come  at  his  death-bed,  it  was  wrought 
out  before."  l  He  breathed  his  last  on  Thursday  night,  March 
21,  1861. 

The  funeral  occasion  was  one  of  the  deepest  interest  to  the 
Universalist  Churches  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  home,  to  the 
citizens  of  Cambridge,  and  to  the  community  at  large,  by 
whom  he  was  so  well  known  and  so  highly  respected.  The 
service  took  place  on  the  Tuesday  (March  26)  following 
his  death.  The  relatives  and  intimate  friends  assembled  at 
his  residence  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Cherry  Streets, 
where  private  exercises  were  held,  conducted  by  Rev.  A.  G. 
Laurie  of  Charlestown,  who  read  appropriate  passages  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  offered  praj'er.  The  funeral  procession 
was  then  formed,  and  proceeded  to  the  church,  which  was 
thronged.  The  exercises  opened  with  a  dirge  from  the  organ, 
followed  by  a  hymn  from  the  "Gospel  Harmonist,"  entitled 
"Anastasis,"  the  music  of  which  was  composed  by  the  de- 
ceased. Selections  of  Scripture  were  then  read  by  Rev.  C.  R. 
Moor  of  Cambridge,  another  hymn  was  sung,  following  which 
a  fervent  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  C.  A.  Skinner.  The 
congregation  was  then  addressed  by  Rev.  Dr.  A.  A.  Miner, 
of  Boston,  and  Rev.  T.  J.  Greenwood,  of  Maiden.  Of  the 
man  and  minister  Dr.  Miner  said :  — 

"He  was  not  aged  by  the  weight  of  years.  But  he  was 
1  Rev.  C.  A.  Skinner. 


366 


old  by  the  weight  of  toil.  He  was  old  in  the  profession  of 
his  love.  He  was  aged  in  those  voluntary  and  unremitting 
labors,  for  the  good  of  men  and  of  the  church,  for  the  honor 
of  God  and  the  comfort  of  souls,  to  which  he  lived  to  devote 
himself.  For  full  forty  years  has  his  name  been,  perhaps, 
quite  as  closely  identified  with  those  great  principles  of  our 
holy  religion  that  give  joy  to  our  hearts,  as  the  name  of  any 
other ;  and  I  do  not  know  that  you,  who  are  able  in  your  own 
experience  to  call  to  mind  the  condition  of  this  world  as  it 
was  forty  years  ago,  and  contrast  it  with  to-day,  and  who  are 
able  to  observe  the  changes  that,  have  marked  the  intervening 
period,  and  recur  to  those  by  whose  labor,  and  faith,  and 
genius,  and  persevering  devotion  these  changes  have  been 
wrought,  —  I  do  not  know  that  in  this  survey  you  will  be 
able  to  recur  to  any  name  that  more  readil}'  presents  itself 
than  the  name  of  the  brother  whose  mortal  remains  lie  now 
in  our  presence.  Yet  we  cannot  forget  that  during  thirty 
years  of  this  period  he  has  not  filled  a  pastorate.  With 
many  cares  of  the  world  upon  him,  with  many  labors  and 
toils  that  would  have  absorbed  the  entire  energies  of  most 
men,  you  have  met  with  him  in  the  chair  editorial,  and  as  an 
author,  appealing  to  the  religious  mind,  and  as  a  preacher 
welcome  ever}-where,  in  all  our  churches. 

"  His  life  and  his  labors,  varied  and  persistent  as  they  have 
been,  are  left  as  a  legacy  to  his  family,  to  the  Church,  and  to 
the  world.  His  influence  will  remain  with  us.  We  shall  not, 
indeed,  meet  him  henceforth  in  the  pathways  of  our  toil ;  we 
shall  not  meet  him  when  believers  in  our  Zion  are  convened  ; 
we  shall  not  meet  him  either  in  social  conference,  or  at  the 
Communion  Table  of  our  Lord.  We  shall  not  meet  him  per- 
sonally, as  in  times  gone  by  ;  .but  in  what  direction  shall  we 
look,  which  way  shall  we  turn,  where  some  memorial  will  not 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  367 

present  itself  to  us,  and  bid  us  remember  what  he  has  done 
for  us,  and  the  joy  that  abides  in  our  hearts?  In  the  fruits 
of  his  labor,  he  shall  long  remain  in  our  midst,  to  bless  those 
who  shall  be  led,  through  his  instructions,  unto  the  God  of 
Hosts,  unto  the  Father  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh.  His  mem- 
ory, embalmed  in  our  affections,  will  be  henceforth  hallowed 
by  the  shadows  of  death. 

"  With  little  outward  aid,  with  few  favoring -circumstances, 
with  a  persistence  and  vigor  of  purpose  animated  by  a  new 
discovery  of  divinest  truth,  he  consecrated  himself  to  his  life- 
labor  ;  his  perseverance  shining  out  steadily  in  the  midst  of 
all  events,  converting  even  obstacles  into  causes  of  success 
and  triumph,  because  he  took  fast  hold  of  God,  and  believed 
in  the  ordainmeuts  and  the  pleasure  of  heaven." 

Rev.  Mr.  Greenwood  said  of  him  :  — 

"  In  the  forty  years  that  have  marked  his  ministerial  course, 
it  has  been  my  privilege,  for  more  than  thirty  years,  to  be  an 
humble  toiler  with  him  in  the  cause  in  which  he  labored  ;  to 
be  in  his  neighborhood  nearly  all  the  time,  and  thus  to  know 
something  of  the  influences  which  moved  his  own  spirit,  and 
rendered  him  so  faithful  and  so  successful  in  the  work  which 
God  gave  him  to  do.  And  for  years,  in  reference  to  him,  as 
in  reference  to  no  other  man  that  has  ever  lived  upon  the 
earth,  there  has  been  ringing  in  my  ears  a  voice  of  instruction 
with  regard  to  the  power  and  influence  of  Christian  faith  as 
cherished  by  him,  and  as  illustrated  by  his  own  life.  I  say 
that  an  influence  has  come  to  my  soul  from  this  consideration, 
as  from  no  other  man  that  has  ever  lived  on  earth ;  and  I 
mean  by  this  to  say  that  he  has  put  that  faith  to  the  test  — 
to  the  severest  test  —  as,  within  the  range  of  in}-  knowledge, 
no  other  human  being  has  had  the  power  or  privilege  to  test  it. 


368  MEMOIR  OF 

Notwithstanding  the  vigor  of  his  frame,  the  indomitable 
energ}*  of  his  being,  the  power  which  God  gave  him  in  the 
work  allotted  to  him,  the}*  who  knew  him  most  intimately, 
know  that,  even  for  years  past,  he  has  been  at  least  partially 
checked  in  his  course,  partially  broken  down,  by  the  inroads 
of  the  disease  —  the  mysterious  disease  —  which  has  at 
length  closed  his  life.  Three  times  or  more,  under  such 
circumstances,  it  has  been  given  to  him,  with  the  faith  he 
cherished,  to  walk  down  to  the  very  borders  of  the  grave,  to 
take  that  look  where,  to  the  unchristianized  mind,  and  to  the 
soul  of  the  faithless,  nothing  but  darkness  and  desolation 
reign,  and  to  catch  glimpses  there  of  the  spirit-land  :  to  hear 
the  distant  cadence  of  the  songs  which  angels  and  enfran- 
chised spirits  sing,  and  go  back  to  earth  refreshed,  invig- 
orated, and  encouraged  for  the  labor  which  he  was  still  to 
perform  here  upon  the  earth.  And  when  our  fears  had  well- 
nigh  found  their  fulfilment,  that  the  day  of  his  departure  was 
at  hand,  but  a  few  months  since ;  when  he  himself  Lad  be- 
come aware  of  and  prepared  for  the  inevitable  hour,  and  wife 
and  children  were  at  his  bedside,  and  the  pale  messenger 
seemed  ready  to  touch  his  lips  with  silence,  — how  expiv>-i\e 
the  power  of  the  faith  he  cherished,  as  expressed  in  the  lan- 
guage he  uttered  to  a  brother  now  in  this  presence  :  '  Grad- 
ually, calmly,  sweetly  sinking.'  For  him.  death  had  no 
terrors ;  the  grave  had  no  gloom.  The  victory  had  been 
pre-dated  for  him,  and  he  met  the  hour,  when  it  came,  like 
one  sustained  by  the  truth  he  had  borne  to  other  minds." 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  addresses,  prayer  was  offered  by 
Rev.  E.  A.  Eaton,  of  South  Reading,  and  the  benediction 
was  pronounced  by  Dr.  Miner.  Some  time  was  occupied  in 
the  solemn  leavc-tuking.  the  congregation  being  so  large  that 
progress  through  the  aisles  could  be  made  but  slowly.  As 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  369 

the  audience  dispersed,  the  funeral  cortege  formed.  The  pall- 
bearers were  Hon.  J.  D.  Green,  Ma3'or  of  Cambridge  ;  Rev. 
J.  M.  Usher,  of  Medford ;  Deacon  Eben  Francis ;  Robert 
Douglass,  Esq. ;  Benjamin  Tilton,  Esq.,  of  Cambridge  ;  and 
(J.  W.  Bazin,  Esq.,  of  Boston.  The  remains  were  conveyed 
to  Mount  Auburn.  As  the  procession  passed  the  Episcopal 
Church,  Old  Cambridge,  the  chime  in  the  tower  pla}-ed  the 
tunes  "Peace,  Troubled  Soul,"  "  Pleyel's  Hymn,"  "  Tivoli," 
a  Dirge  by  Pleyel,  "  Sicilian  Hymn,"  "  Dead  March  in  Saul," 
and  "Naomi."  The  family  burial- lot  is  at  Mount  Auburn, 
No.  2007.  It  was  a  late  hour  before  the  mourners  returned 
to  their  homes. 

On  the  Sabbath  following  the  burial,  a  Funeral  Discourse 
was  delivered  in  the  church  by  Rev.  C.  A.  Skinner,  the  pastor, 
entitled  "  The  Christian  Warrior,"  from  the  words  of  Paul 
to  Timothy :  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished 
my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up 
for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day;  and  not  to  me  only,  but 
unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing  "  (2  Tim.  iv:  7,  8) . 
These  words  were  chosen  by  Mr.  Whittemore  as  a  text  of 
the  last  sermon  he  ever  attempted  to  prepare.  But  little  else 
beside  the  text  had  been  written.  The  discourse  by  his 
pastor  was  a  just  and  feeling  tribute  to  the  subject  of  it.  The 
closing  section  is  beautiful  as  it  is  appropriate  :  — 

"  It  is  Easter  Sunday  to-da}-.  And  as  the  sun  rose  bright 
and  glorious  this  morning,  rolling  back  the  shadows  of  the 
night  before  its  oncoming  splendor,  flooding,  with  its  golden 
light,  mountain  and  plain,  and  all  the  habitations  of  men, 
it  was  symbolical  of  the  light  that  the  rising  of  the  '  Sun  of 
Righteousness '  has  shed  upon  the  world,  scattering  even  the 
shadows  of  the  grave,  and  glorifying  the  humblest  tombstone 
that  lies  to-day  with  the  early  grass  and  the  first  flowers  of 

24 


370  MEMOIR   OF 

spring.  Oh,  what  a  grand  fact  is  that  bursting  out  from  the 
history  of  the  ages  !  What  a  great  truth  is  that  which  breaks 
in  fresh  significance  upon  us  with  the  dawn  of  this  Easter 
morning !  What  a  fact  for  these  friends  to  carry  in  their 
sorrowing  hearts,  as  they  shall  go  to  plant  flowers  upon  the 
grave  of  their  dead.  Standing  there  by  his  sepulchre,  the 
voice  that  spoke  to  Mary  in  her  grief  shall  be  heard  again. 
borne  through  all  the  avenues  and  winding  paths  of  Mount 
Auburn,  saying  to  them,  '  He  is  not  here,  for  he  is  risen.'" 

Tributes  to  his  character  and  memoiy  came  in  on  even- 
hand.  "  For  forty  years,"  said  the  editor  of  the  Maine  Gos- 
pel Banner,  "  he  has  been  a  prominent  man,  and,  most  of  the 
tune,  a  leader  in  our  communion  ;  and  it  will  be  a  long  time 
ere  we  shall  accustom  ourselves  to  think  of  his  absence  with- 
out sorrow.  We  shall  miss  his  cordial  greeting  in  Cornhill ; 
his  characteristic  paragraphs  in  the  Tnnnpef ;  his  genial  wit 
at  our  festivals ;  his  defence  of  our  faith  ;  his  advice  in  our 
councils ;  and  his  strong  and  earnest  words  in  our  religious 
meetings."  "  His  business  talents,"  writes  the  editor  of  the 
New  York  Christian  Ambassador,  "  were  of  an  extraordinary 
character.  As  the  fruit  of  his  industry,  he  acquired  a  large 
fortune  in  a  manner  the  most  honorable  and  commendable. 
We  ever  found  him  a  warm-hearted,  loving,  ministerial  brother, 
a  true  friend,  and  a  zealous  and  sincere  Christian."  The  Chris- 
tian Inquirer  (Unitarian)  bore  this  testimony  :  "As  a  self-made 
man.  as  an  author,  as  an  editor  for  many  years,  as  an  earnest 
preacher  of  his  peculiar  faith,  the  broad,  honest,  Luther-like,  yet 
tmder  and  affectionate,  presence  of  Thomas  AVhittemore  will 
long  be  remembered.  He  did  a  great  work  in  his  day  to  prepare 
thr  way  for  a  more  universal  acceptance  of  the  truth  that  God 
is  Love.  Peace  to  the  memory  of  the  brave  old  iconoclast !  " 
A  Baptist  clergyman  of  New  Hampshire  says  of  him:  "Al- 
though I  am  a  Baptist  clergyman,  and  cannot  believe  that  all 


THOMAS    WH1TTKMORE.  371 

men  will  be  saved,  still  I  do  cherish  the  memory  of  Mr. 
WMttemore,  and  esteem  him  highry  for  his  work's  sake.  I 
cannot  persuade  n^self  that  he  was  not  a  friend  of  God,  as, 
unquestionably,  he  was  a  friend  of  men.  How  much  he 
wrought  in  forty  years  !  " 

Discourses  in  reference  to  his  departure  were  preached  from 
Universalist  pulpits,  in  Boston,  Charlestown,  Providence,  R.I., 
and  elsewhere.  We  note  one  passage  of  a  discourse  of  Rev. 
T.  B.  Thayer,  in  the  Warren  Street  Universalist  church  in 
Boston  :  — 

"  It  may  be  justly  said  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
estimate  the  difference  in  our  denominational  position  and 
strength,  if  Mr.  Whittemore  had  not  lived  and  preached  and 
talked.  Take  out  his  activity,  and  zeal,  and  intelligence, 
and  large  information,  from  the  last  thirty  years  of  our  de- 
nominational life  ;  take  out  the  powerful  influence  of  his  ser- 
mons and  conversation  ;  take  out  the  Trumpet,  with  its  ringing 
notes  of  alarm  and  defiance  against  the  hoaiy  errors  of  the 
Church  creeds ;  with  its  sharp,  doctrinal  discussions,  and 
popular  expositions  of  Biblical  texts  and  phraseology ;  take 
out  his  books,  several  of  which  —  as  his  '  Notes  on  the  Para- 
bles.' the  '  Commentar}'  on  the  Apocalypse,'  and  the  '  Mod- 
ern History  of  Universalism ' — have  been  among  our  most 
valuable  and  useful  publications ;  take  out  his  missionary 
labors  —  so  widely  extended  in  his  latter  years  —  and  his 
popular  addresses  on  religious  subjects ;  take  out  his  varied 
experience,  and  counsels,  and  business  talent,  and  executive 
ability  in  our  conventions  and  public  meetings ;  and  the  dif- 
ference between  what  we  are.  and  what  we  should  be  as  a 
denomination,  as  a  religious  power  in  New  England,  in  the 
entire  land,  would  be  immense." 


372  MEMOIR    OF 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 
His   PERSON   AND   CHARACTER. 

IN  summing  up  our  account  of  the  departed  in  these  pages, 
these  questions  are  very  naturally  suggested :  What  were 
some  of  the  leading  traits  in  the  character  of  Mr.  Whittemore  ? 
What  has  he  wrought  ?  What  instructions  are  given  us  in  his 
words  and  deeds  ? 

A  thick-set,  round-faced  man,  of  ordinary  height,  was  the 
preacher ;  with  no  outward  grace  of  appearance,  except  that 
which  savored  of  healthfulness  and  self-reliance.  His  large 
features  indicated  strength,  if  the  beautiful  was  not  promi- 
nent in  them.  There  was  genial  humor  and  tenderness  in  his 
eye,  and  his  strong  smile  lighted  up  his  whole  countenance, 
and  gave  it  attractiveness.  He  was  somewhat  corpulent,  and  in- 
dulged quite  freely  when  at  the  table,  —  for  which  in  after  years 
he  had  admonitions  which  led  him  to  greater  abstemiousness. 
He  realized  his  need  of  bodily  exercise,  and  for  years  was 
accustomed,  as  he  has  told  us,  when  the  weather  was  favor- 
able, to  walk  every  day  from  his  home  in  Cambridgeport  to 
his  office  in  Boston,  often  returning  the  same  way,  —  a  dis- 
tance of  two  miles.  He  had  a  clear,  strong,  ringing  but  not 
musical  voice  ;  sometimes  accompanied  with  a  slight  huskiness 
when  beginning  to  speak,  but  pouring  itself  out  with  great 
effectiveness  as  he  became  filled  with  his  theme.  In  singing, 
especially  when  excited,  his  voice  seemed  almost  like  an 
accompaniment  of  reed  music  to  the  other  voices.  He  could 
make  himself  at  home  wherever  duty  called  him,  and  into 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.         ^  373 

whatever  company :  if  with  the  polite  and  refined,  none  could 
be  more  watchful,  reserved,  or  truer  to  "the  proprieties" 
than  he  ;  if  with  the  less  polished,  an  equal ;  if  with  the  jocose, 
as  witty  as  the  wittiest ;  if  with  the  sorrowing  and  suffering, 
none  could  be  more  tender.  That  he  should  have  "  troops 
of  friends,"  and  should  leave  the  strong  impression  of  himself 
upon  them,  is  readily  accounted  for. 

Upon  whatever  might  have  been  deemed  defects  in  his 
character,  we  can  think  and  speak  charitably.  He  was  not 
faultless  :  that  he  knew,  and  was  ever  ready  to  acknowledge. 
He  might  have  been  and  was  wrongfully  judged  by  those  who 
could  not  realize  what  inward  strife  he  had  experienced  in 
the  formation  of  that  character  which,  as  a  whole,  made  him 
stand  so  well  with  his  friends.  The  wonder  is,  that  with  the 
waywardness  which  marked  his  early  life,  according  to  his 
own  confessions,  and  the  many  adverse  circumstances  in 
the  way  of  his  spiritual  culture,  he  became  the  man  he  was, 
—  so  true  to  principle,  so  firm  in  virtue.  It  is  written  that 
the  author  of  the  ' '  Pilgrim's  Progress  "  once  said,  on  seeing 
a  poor  convict  on  his  wa3~  to  Tyburn  to  execution,  "  But  for 
the  grace  of  God,  there  goes  John  Buriyan  ! "  Mr.  Whitte- 
moi'e  seemed  fully  aware  of  the  influences  that  had  kept  him 
from  the  power  of  temptation,  and  from  the  destructive  evils 
into  which  so  many  youth  are  drawn.  It  was  once  told  him, 
while  he  was  editor  of  the  Trumpet ,  and  had  occasion  to  speak 
so  often  in  exposition  of  the  wrong-doings  of  the  ministers  of 
other  sects,  who  were  so  ready  to  condemn  Universalism  for 
its  lack  of  restraining  power  over  those  tempted  to  evil,  that 
an  over-zealous  woman,  quite  aggravated  at  these  exposures, 
said  earnestly,  "  I  wish  that  Mr.  Whitternore  might  get  into 
some  such  difficulty  !  "  "  Dear  woman  !  "  said  he,  when  the 
account  came  to  his  ears,  "  by  the  grace  of  God  she  cannot 
be  gratified."  He  attributed  his  success,  in  the  formation  of 


374  s  MEMOIR    OF 

his  character  and  in  the  walk  of  his  h'fe,  to  the  renovating 
influence  of  that  Gospel  which  it  was  his  great  purpose  to 
promulgate.  There  were  differences  of  opinion  in  regard 
to  certain  questions,  theological  and  reformatory,  which  led 
to  very  plain  words  between  him  and  not  a  few  of  his  de- 
nominational brethren.  But  they  were  not  alienated  from 
each  other  on  this  account.  They  loved  him  for  his  work's 
sake,  and  he  kept  his  course  with  them  fraternally  to  the 
last. 

The  versatility  of  talent  possessed  by  Mr.  Whittemore  was 
notable.  He  could  do  man}*  things,  and  do  them  well.  He 
was  an  apt  and  comprehensive  business  man ;  one  of  the 
ablest  among  the  business  men  of  his  time.  He  was  a  care- 
ful financier.  He  looked  well  to  his  accounts,  and  knew  how 
he  stood  in  debt  and  credit  with  all  men.  Taking  care  of  the 
littles  made  the  great  incomes  more  certain.  This  was  his 
habit,  such  as  men  acquire  who  have  had  to  begin  life  on 
smallest  means,  and  struggle  up  into  a  competency.  The 
business  world  seemed  somehow  of  right  to  claim  him.  As  a 
bank  and  railroad  director,  as  a  city  officer  or  State  legislator, 
he  stood  among  the  foremost.  Wherever  he  undertook  to  act 
in  good  earnest,  he  seemed  at  home  ;  and  whether  his  ap- 
pointments were  according  to  bank  hours  or  railroad  or  church- 
service  time,  he  was  in  season  at  his  post  of  dut}*.  Some 
have  thought  that  his  secular  cares  at  times  might  have 
trenched  upon  his  ministerial  work.  Possibly  it  might  have 
been  so  ;  but  the  ability  and  disposition  to  do  these  various 
works  were  in  him,  and  could  not  easily  have  been  suppressed. 
l-V\v  men  would  have  served  in  all  the  capacities  that  he  did 
with  less  complication  of  the  ditt'erent  interests.  He  had  time 
and  place  for  each  and  all.  He  was  a  talented  musician,  a 
ready  composer  of  instrumental  accompaniments  to  be  used 
by  the  members  of  his  choir,  and  for  }-ears  he  was  a  member 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  375 

of  the  principal  musical  society  in  New  England.  Later  in 
years  he  determined  to  become  a  musical  author,  and  issued 
books  of  sacred  music  among  the  most  popular  and  acceptable 
of  the  time. 

The  editor  of  the  Salem  Observer  said  of  him  :  ' '  His  name 
adds  one  more  to  the  line  of  famous  shoemakers.  He  was, 
doubtless,  a  good  cobbler  in  his  youth,  as  he  has  been  a  good 
preacher  since  he  dropped  the  waxed-end,  and  took  up  the 
thread  of  public  discourse.  To  be  at  the  same  time  a 
preacher,  president  of  a  bank,  editor,  and  president  of  a  rail- 
road, and  good  at  all,  certainly  gives  evidence  of  great 
versatility  of  talent." 

As  a  writer,  he  was  plain,  pointed,  strong ;  sometimes 
quite  attractive  in  his  rhetorical  and  descriptive  efforts. 
Although  given  to  verse-writing  in  the  beginning  of  his 
literary  efforts,  he  never  excelled  as  a  poet,  nor  attempted  to 
do  so.  And  yet  he  has  left  us  one  of  the  most  compact 
and  literal  versions  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  in  the  language.1 
This  versatility  of  talent  helped  him  as  a  preacher.  It  gave 
freshness  and  variety  to  his  public  addresses,  and  especially 
served  him  in  his  editorial  work.  The  Trumpet,  whatever 
might  be  thought  of  its  theology,  was  never  a  dull  paper.  It 
was  usually  alive  with  argument,  fact,  illustration ;  with  that 
which  could  make  a  weekly  journal  a  welcome  visitor  to  its 
patrons.  The  eyes  of  its  editor  looked  in  all  directions  for 
what  could  give  interest  to  it.  Said  an  earnest  solicitor  of 
subscriptions  for  another  paper  once  to  an  intelligent  friend 
of  ours,  "  There  is  no  better  weekly  in  the  land  than  this  ex- 
cept the  Boston  Trumpet,  edited  by  Mr.  Whittemore,  and  that 
cannot  be  excelled  by  any  paper."  Many  thought  thus  when 
the  chief  attention  of  its  editor  was  bestowed  upon  it  in  the 
vigor  of  his  days. 

1  Adams  and  Chapin's  Coll.  Hymns,  438. 


376  MEMOIR   OF 

The  industry  of  Mr.  "WTiittemore  is  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able of  his  life  lessons  to  us.  This  was  untiring.  His  mind 
was  seldom  inactive.  He  undertook  great  tasks,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  accomplishing  most  of  them.  He  did  well  to  resign 
his  pastorship  when  other  duties  as  an  author  and  editor 
claimed  the  chief  share  of  his  attention.  His  sermonizing 
then  became  comparatively  a  light  labor.  He  preached  much 
as  an  itinerant,  and  could  use  his  powers  for  extemporizing 
with  greater  effect  and  less  cost  of  effort  to  himself  than 
though  he  had  been  called  to  bring  from  his  mental  store- 
house new  as  well  as  old  forms  of  appeal  to  his  hearers,  a 
work  which  the  settled  pastor  finds  himself  so  constantly 
impelled  to  do.  Other  ministers  of  less  abilit}-  have  made 
themselves  highly  effective  in  this  itinerant  course  of  ministe- 
rial effort,  while  others  have  rested  too  much  on  their  past 
labors  and  have  given  but  little  attention  to  the  renewal  of 
their  mental  efforts  by  fresh  supplies  through  study  and  medi- 
tation. But  what  work  our  preacher  might  have  bestowed 
upon  sermonizing  was  given  to  other  pursuits,  some  of  them 
of  equal  importance  with  his  ministerial  work.  And,  besides, 
his  habits  of  inquiry  and  investigation  kept  him  well  stored 
with  facts  and  illustrations  with  which  to  interest  the  many 
audiences  to  whom  he  ministered.  In  addition  to  his  edito- 
rial labors,  he  had  constant!}-  before  him  some  work  of  interest, 
as  he  deemed  it,  by  which  the  cause  of  Christian  truth  might 
be  aided.  He  entered  upon  the  work  of  an  historian.  3 1  r. 
Ballou  (afterwards  President  of  Tufts  College)  had  resolved 
to  prepare  the  history  of  ancient,  and  Mr.  ^V'hittemore  the 
history  of  modern,  Universalism.  Much  of  the  ground  to  be 
survej'ed  in  this  work  was  new.  It  had  not  to  this  end  been 
examined  carefully  and  extensively  by  any  other  historians. 
The  materials  were  in  existence,  and  it  needed  only  two  such 
patient  and  untiring  explorers  and  gatherers  to  collect  and 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  377 

arrange  them.  The  author  of  the  Modern  History  did  his 
part  faithfully.  His  other  works  already  mentioned  were 
wrought  with  the  same  industry.  What  he  lacked  in  his 
knowledge  of  certain  languages  to  aid  him  in  his  researches, 
he  attempted  to  gain  by  persistent  effort,  —  to  master  at  least 
the  rudiments  of  them,  that  he  might  employ  them  as  occasion 
should  demand.  Nothing  of  this  kind  of  effort  seemed  to 
daunt  him.  Dr.  T.  J.  Sawyer  wrote  of  him  years  ago :  "I 
have  been  expecting  that,  in  the  midst  of  all  his  other  labors, 
he  would  study  Greek  and  Hebrew  for  the  purpose  of  writing 
a  Commentary  on  the  New  Testament,  or  perhaps  the  whole 
Bible."  When  preparing  to  write  the  Modern  Histon",  he 
found  it  desirable  to  read  French,  and  forthwith  lie  put  him- 
self at  work  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  language.  His 
singing-books  are  resolved  upon,  and  although  a  well-trained 
musician,  he  finds  himself  lacking  a  knowledge  of  thorough 
bass.  He  seeks  instruction  of  one  of  the  profoundest  har- 
monists in  New  England,  and  is  soon  qualified  for  the  work 
intended.  His  Commentar}'  on  the  Apocarypse  and  on  the 
Book  of  Daniel  were  written  —  large  portions  of  them  — 
amid  seasons  of  bodily  weakness  and  mental  depression,  when 
severe  trials  were  upon  him.  But  he  seemed  to  seek  refuge 
in  these  investigations  of  Divine  Truth,  and  find  the  home- 
work and  rest  of  his  heart  there. 

His  industry  was  inspired  by  his  fondness  for  facts  and  his 
inclination  to  details.  He  was  seldom  wrong  in  reference  to 
a  date  or  an  event  which  had  once  come  to  his  knowledge. 
This  made  him  an  accurate  historian.  It  was  of  especial 
advantage  to  him  as  a  business  man.  He  would  have,  as  far 
as  possible,  personal  knowledge  of  any  important  interest 
with  which  he  was  connected.  While  his  ph}'sical  powers 
were  in  full  vigor,  he  wrought  as  little  b}r  proxy  and  as  much 
himself  as  possible.  His  lone  walk  upon  the  railroad  track 


378  MEMOIR    OF 

for  personal  examination  of  the  road  from  Fitchburg  to  Brat- 
tleboro,  when  he  had  the  supervision  of  its  business,  was  an 
evidence  of  this.  The  last  of  his  years  evinced  this  habit  of 
persevering  industry  in  him.  Partial  paralysis  does  not  find 
him  willing  to  yield.  He  clings  to  the  pulpit,  and  attempts 
to  go  on  with  his  work  there,  when  the  benumbing  power  is 
upon  him.  He  pursues  the  task  of  revising  his  Modern  His- 
tory, to  be  enlarged  into  two  volumes,  one  of  which  he  suc- 
ceeded in  giving  to  the  public  ;  and  persists  in  his  ministerial 
labors  until  plrysician,  family,  and  friends  prevail  on  him  to 
yield  to  the  demands  of  nature  and  afford  himself  rest.  A 
sterling  representative  was  he  of  that  indomitable  will  and 
endurance,  undismayed  by  adverse  influences  of  whatever 
force  or  form,  for  which  the  New  England  character  has  been 
so  justly  distinguished.  In  this  he  has  been  an  example  and 
an  inspiration  to  not  a  few  in  the  past,  as  he  will  be  to  others 
in  the  long  time  to  come.  His  industry  is  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  all  toilers  who  would  make  good  and  effective  their 
influences  in  the  world.  "  Seest  thou  a  man  diligent  in  his 
business,  he  shall  stand  before  kings :  he  shall  not  stand 
before  mean  men."  This  virtue  of  which  we  have  spoken 
has,  in  the  instance  before  us,  nobly  earned  the  tribute  here 
given  to  it  in  the  Sacred  Word. 

His  peculiarities  as  a  preacher  were  mainly  these  ;  strength, 
plainness,  scrip turalness,  earnestness,  vivacity.  He  was, 
theologically  speaking,  a  strong  man.  He  grasped  his  sub- 
ject as  if  by  intuition,  and  could  present  its  points  with  a 
peculiar  force,  in  the  face  of  any  number  of  objections.  The 
more  the  objections,  the  greater  seemed  his  anxiousness  to 
meet  them.  He  was  not  a  metaplrysician,  nor  did  he  as- 
sume to  be.  For  the  intricacies  of  logical  stud}'  and  exercise, 
he  had  no  groat  inclination.  But  he  could  reason  with  great 
clearness,  and  usually  with  much  effect  on  the  subject  which 


THOMAS    WHITTEUORE.  379 

he  desired  most  of  all  to  urge  upon  his  hearers.  Conscious 
too  of  the  truth  which  he  advocated,  he  had  all  confidence  in 
the  positions  he  assumed,  and  was  ever  inviting  theological 
inquiry,  and  in  readiness  to  answer  its  demands  for  himself 
and  in  behalf  of  the  faith  he  cherished. 

He  was  a  plain  preacher.  His  hearers  could  clearly  see 
all  the  points  he  would  urge  upon  their  attention.  He  had 
learned  this  method  in  a  good  school ;  for,  if  he  had  any 
preacher  as  a  model  before  him,  it  was  Mr.  Ballon.  One 
difference  in  their  methods  was,  that  while  Mr.  Ballou  seemed 
to  think  it  well  to  leave  something  for  the  hearer  to  work  out 
for  himself,  as  if  in  deference  to  his  logical  perceptions.  Mr. 
Whittemore  would  present  it  often  by  repeated  illustration  or 
enforcement,  so  that  there  seemed  but  little  call  for  any  extra 
mental  action  on  the  part  of  the  listener.  Said  a  shrewd  and 
intelligent  hearer  once,  after  listening  to  both  of  them  for  the 
first  time  :  '  •  Mr.  Ballou  gives  his  hearers  good  food  ;  Mr. 
Whittemore,  after  doing  the  same,  seems  determined  to  aid 
them  in  eating  and  digesting  it."  This  was  his  habit,  the 
endeavor  to  make  all  things  plain  to  the  humblest  capacity. 
Said  a  friend  who  heard  his  last  discourse  in  Maiden,  "  I 
shall  never  forget  how  it  interested  the  children.  They  talked 
of  it  after  they  came  home  more  than  of  any  one  they  had 
heard  before."  Although  elegance  of  speech  was  seldom 
sought  by  him,  he  had  that  direct  and  common-sense  utter- 
ance which  made  him  understood  wherever  his  discoursings 
were  heard.  He  practised  after  the  apostle's  affirmation : 
"•  Seeing  we  have  such  hope,  we  use  great  plainness  of 
speech."  No  attentive  hearer  went  away  from  his  preaching 
querying  as  to  what  the  minister  intended  to  present  as  his 
sentiments ;  so  mystified  with  his  indefiuiteness,  so  dazzled 
with  the  imagery,  or  captivated  with  the  manner  of  the  speaker, 
as  to  be  unable  to  identify  the  topics  of  the  discourse.  The 


380  MEMOIR    OF 

points  were  made,  and  made  to  tell,  too,  upon  the  minds  for 
whom  the}'  were  intended. 

He  was  a  scriptural,  a  textual,  preacher,  whatever  might 
be  thought  of  his  method  of  sermonizing  in  the  face  of  modern 
changes.  After  the  way  of  most  of  the  old  Protestant  divines, 
he  fortified  his  statements  and  illustrations  of  doctrines  with 
a  goodly  array  of  testimony  from  the  written  AVord  itself. 
"  To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony,"  was  a  favorite  text  with 
him  in  the  earlier  times  of  his  ministry.  It  expressed  his 
fondness  for  using  a  ' '  thus  saith  the  Lord  "  in  defence  of  his 
faith.  He  had  read  his  Bible  diligently,  and  could  make 
his  quotations  from  it  with  the  greatest  readiness.  Sermons 
having  texts  that  were  not  used  after  being  named  in  the 
beginning  ;  sermons  that  were  intentionally  sparse  as  to  Bible 
language,  lest  literary  niceness  should  not  be  conspicuous 
enough,  —  he  held  in  light  esteem.  He  regarded  the  Script- 
ures as  their  own  best  interpreter,  and  was  fond  of  showing 
to  reader  or  hearer  how  one  text  could  be  made  to  shed  light 
upon  another.  He  believed  that  there  was  no  greater  need 
among  men  than  an  acquaintance  with  the  real  meaning  of 
the  Bible,  —  a  need  which,  if  rightfully  met,  would  weaken 
scepticisms  and  partialisms,  dispel  the  theological  and  spiritual 
hallucinations  of  many  kinds,  and  bless  man  with  "  the  light 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ."  l 

His  earnestness  was  another  peculiarity  in  his  pulpit  work. 

1  He  writes  of  himself  in  a  foot-note  of  Dr.  Sawyer's  Biographical 
Sketch  of  him,  in  the  Trumpet  of  Dec.  25,  1852  :  "  Almost  all  my  dis- 
courses are  founded  on  the  Scriptures.  I  could  not  preach  without  the 
Bible.  With  me  a  '  thus  saith  the  Lord  '  is  not  merely  a  sine  qua  non.  but 
it  is  also  a  ne  j>lits  ultra:  I  cannot  do  without  it;  I  ask  nothing  else. 
Although  I  do  not  write  my  sermons,  yet  I  never  preach  without  pre- 
meditation ;  and  almost  always  have  the  frame  of  the  discourse  written 
out  before  me,  and  pinned  to  the  leaf  of  the  Bible." 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  381 

His  preaching  had  life  in  it.  He  never  entered  the  pulpit  as 
an  essayist  or  reader  of  homilies,  but  as  a  preacher,  a  living 
man  to  living  men.  —  or  to  those  who  ought  to  be  alive  in 
their  inquiries  after  religious  truth.  His  eloquence  was  in  the 
truthfulness  and  earnestness  of  his  preaching.  When  warmed 
with  his  subject,  he  had  much  power  over  an  audience.  If  he 
had  not  scrupulously  studied  the  graces  of  oratory,  }*et,  filled 
with  his  theme,  he  was  the  orator  who  would  hold  the  atten- 
tion and  usually  the  S3*mpathies  of  his  audience.  His  dis- 
courses, like  the  one  on  "Jesus  and  the  Resurrection,"  or 
from  the  text,  "  They  believed  not  for  joy,"  were  exceedingly 
effective. 

His  vivacity,  combined  with  these  other  peculiarities,  of 
course  made  his  preaching  attractive.  His  illustrations  were 
often  apt,  if  not  always  the  most  refined  in  conception  and 
presentation  ;  and  his  wit  would  break  out  even  in  the  midst 
of  the  most  serious  appeals  and  tenderest  passages  of  his 
discourses.  Hearers  expected  to  smile  at  times  when  he 
preached  ;  and  there  were  those,  in  heart-faith  deeply  sympa- 
thizing with  the  speaker,  to  whom  this  indulgence  on  his  part 
was  an  offence.  But  it  was  never  thus  intended  by  him.  He 
certainly  did  not  design  by  any  lightness  to  loosen  the  force 
of  his  appeals  to  the  understandings  and  affections  of  his 
hearers  ;  and,  if  his  wit  and  pleasantry  were  too  exuberant  at 
times  for  the  more  serious-minded  of  his  audience,  he  never 
tried  them  with  an}*  forced  exercises  in  the  pathetic.  Pathos 
with  him  was  the  utterance  of  the  heart's  sincerest  emotion, 
and  his  bore  that  evidence  so  plainly  with  it  that  its  genuine- 
ness could  not  be  questioned.  It  may  be  truly  said  of  him, 
as  it  was  of  one  before  him  who  spoke  with  more  than  human 
power,  that  "  the  common  people  heard  him  gladly."  It  was 
his  aim  to  reach  them,  and  he  did. 

Not  only  in  the  pulpit,  but  in  the  conference  and  pra}~er 


382  MEMOIR    OF 

meeting  he  was  always  at  home.  He  took  great  interest 
usually,  and  more  as  his  years  increased,  in  the  meetings  of 
conference  and  prayer  with  his  denominational  brethren  or 
with  other  Christian  fraternities.  He  believed  in  the  com- 
munion of  Christians  in  the  spirit  of  the  apostoh'c  benediction, 
' '  Grace  be  with  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sin- 
cerity." He  was  in  the  truest  sense  a  denominational  man. 
a  sectarian  in  the  best  definition  of  that  word.  He  loved  the 
name  (next  to  that  of  Christian)  by  which  we  as  a  sect  are 
called.  To  him  it  embodied  a  sublime  idea,  one  in  which  the 
thought  of  the  Christian  world  ought  to  be  centred,  —  that 
of  the  Divine  Paternity.  His  Universalism  was  based  here, 
and  he  desired  that  all  others  might  build  their  theology  on 
this  sure  foundation.  He  was  conscientiously  and  unceas- 
ingly opposed  to  any  evasions,  suppressions,  compromises  of 
sects  or  no  sects,  that  would  have  the  effect  to  keep  this  con- 
sideration out  of  sight.  Living  and  dying,  this  was  his  con- 
viction and  this  his  testimom*.  He  believed  that  as  a  church 
we  should  not  go  out  of  our  way  to  seek  the  patronage  of  any 
other,  but  rather  have  dignity  and  consistency  enough  to  do 
our  own  work  under  our  own  name,  and  to  do  it  well,  and 
thus  gain  the  honor  we  deserved,  and  would  sooner  or  later 
receive,  from  the  wisest  and  siucerest  of  sister  denominations. 
But  he  had  great  charity.  His  sectarianism  was  not  soured 
nor  frozen.  It  had  good  fellowship  for  all  lovers  of  the 
great  Christian  Master. 

Mr.  Whittemore  was  not  strongly  inclined  to  put  himself 
forward  as  an  ecclesiastical  organizer.  That  he  had  eminent 
ability  for  this  work  no  one  who  knew  him  could  doubt.  Had 
he  given  that  talent  which  made  him  so  successful  in  the 
bank  and  railroad  operations  which  he  conducted,  to  the 
building  up  of  a  thoroughly  planned  and  effectively  working 
church  organization,  embracing  the  interests  of  our  whole 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  383 

church  fraternitj-,  throughout  the  countrj-,  he  might  have 
proved  himself  a  helper  in  our  onward  movement  whose 
memory  on  this  account  would  have  been  gratefully  cherished. 
He  seemed,  however,  to  have  not  only  little  inclination  to  see 
his  denomination  assume  an  effective  form  and  organized 
method  of  action,  but  was  inclined  to  question  such  move- 
ments in  this  direction  as  were  made  b}'  some  of  the  wisest 
in  our  churches,  and  finally  accepted  and  adopted  by  them. 
Carefully  prepared  reports  on  this  subject  made  to  the  Gen- 
eral and  Massachusetts  Conventions  failed  to  receive  his 
approval.  That  he  was  conscientious  in  this  course  it  would 
be  uncharitable  to  deny.  But  such  action  on  his  part  seemed 
inexplicable  when  his  usually  clear  perception  and  sound 
judgment  in  practical  matters  were  taken  into  the  account. 
His  strong  influence  was  greatly  needed  in  preparing  and 
rendering  effective  the  present  commendable  organization  of 
the  American  Um'versalist  church. 

None  were  readier  than  Mr.  Whittemore  to  acknowledge 
the  truth  which  other  denominations  held  and  proclaimed, 
and  the  good  which  they  were  accomplishing.  He  was  a 
"  liberal  Christian."  But  this  word  "  liberal "  had  definiteness 
with  him.  It  did  not  signify  any  thing  or  ever}-  thing  out  of 
the  line  of  the  accepted  orthodoxy  of  the  past ;  but  Christian 
truth,  or  what  was  believed  to  be  this  truth,  held  in  Christian 
love  for  all.  "  In  essentials  unity,  in  non-essentials  liberty, 
in  all  things  charity."  was  an  acceptable  basis  of  Christian 
fellowship  and  action  with  him.  A  "Broad  Church"  that 
could  take  in  all  shades  of  belief  from  most  rigid  Calvinism 
to  most  latitudiuarian  pantheism,  or  transcendentalism,  or 
spiritualism,  he  did  not  conceive  to  be  exactly  the  church  of 
the  New  Testament,  "Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 
corner-stone."  This  last-named  church  was  the  one  which  he 
loved  most,  and  he  believed  that  not  a  few  of  all  the  sects 
were  worthy  members  of  it. 


384  MEMOIR  OF 

As  a  theological  controversialist,  Mr.  Whittemore  must  be 
fairly  judged.  He  came  into  the  field  when  the  attention  of 
the  Christian  community,  in  New  England  especially,  had  be- 
come seriously  turned  towards  Uuiversalism.  The  preaching 
and  writings  of  Mr.  Ballou  and  his  contemporaries  had  set 
religious  thought  astir.  It  was  beginning  to  be  seen,  and 
was  in  so  many  words  acknowledged,  that  "  Universalisrn  was 
to  become  the  prominent  heres}T  of  the  times."  Opposition 
to  this  rising  heresy  manifested  itself  in  various  forms,  but 
chiefly  in  misrepresentation,  ridicule,  and  satire.  Papers  es- 
pecially anti-Universalistic  were  started,  and  lectures  deliv- 
ered and  published,  giving  the  advancing  doctrine  an  ill  name 
to  the  public.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  well  prepared  for  this 
kind  of  warfare.  If  others  could  use  wit  and  ridicule  against 
Universalism,  he  could  show  how  these  very  weapons  might 
be  employed  against  themselves.  If  they  asked  for  argu- 
ments, none  were  readier  than  he  to  adduce  them,  and  to 
give  closest  attention  to  any  examination  of  them  which  a 
theological  opponent  might  make.  But  when  assertions  as 
to  the  absurdity  of  the  theological  pretensions  or  immoral 
tendency  of  Universalism  were  put  impudently  forth,  he  had 
a  way  of  "  turning  the  tables  "  so  as  to  make  his  opponents 
see  themselves  "  as  others  saw  them  ;  "  which,  doubtless,  not 
a  few  of  them  remembered  in  after  days. 

The  narrower  theologies  had  so  generally  kept  the  ascen- 
dancy in  New  England,  that  the  advocates  of  them,  especially 
the  ministry,  were  habituated  to  the  feeling  of  contempt  for 
ruiversalism,  and  were  inclined  to  treat  with  something  like 
arrogance  those  who  were  bold  enough  to  avow  and  defend 
it.  Against  all  such  assumption,  it  was  Mr.  Whittemore's 
business  to  wage  an  uncompromising  war.  In  his  treatment 
of  such  opponents,  he  gave  them  to  understand  that  their 
assumed  airs  of  religious  superiority  had  no  acknowledgment 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  385 

on  the  part  of  the  Christian  fraternity  which  he  represented ; 
that  he  regarded  them  as  equals,  and  deemed  his  own  author- 
\i\  to  judge  them  by  their  works  as  unquestionable  as  was 
theirs  to  denounce  him  and  his  brethren  as  heretics.  One 
intention  in  his  frequent  exposures  of  the  moral  aberrations 
of  ministers  of  other  sects  was  that  of  humbling  the  pride 
of  Such  as  were  ever  in  readiness  to  represent  Universalism 
as  tending  to  evil,  and  that  continually.  His  hits  in  this 
direction  told,  and  a  better  behavior  on  the  part  of  the 
accusers  was  the  result.  He  would  not  spare  error.  He 
indulged  in  no  bitterness  towards  the  errorist ;  but  he  would 
give  his  groundless  accusations,  his  reckless  assumptions,  his 
shallow  sophisms  no  chance  of  escape  from  exposure.  He  was 
as  blunt  as  Luther,  and  equally  fearless  in  defending  what 
he  believed  to  be  the  truth  of  God.  But  he  outlived  much 
ill-feeling  on  the  part  of  religious  opposers ;  and  later  in  his 
ministerial  course  held  pleasant  Christian  conference  and 
communion  with  individuals  and  churches  who  once  would 
have  considered  such  fellowship  of  spirit  impracticable. 

We  justly  class  Mr.  "\Yhitteinore  among  the  reformers  of 
his  time.  It  was  to  theological  reform,  however,  that  he 
gave  closest  and  most  habitual  attention.  In  some  of  the 
philanthropic  movements  of  the  da}-  he  took  deep  interest. 
He  spoke  strong  words  for  the  abolition  of  the  gallows,  for 
the  promotion  of  temperance,  for  the  reformation  of  the 
offender,  for  the  raising  up  of  the  fallen.  He  had  a  warm 
heart,  and  could  from  its  depths  say  to  the  recording  angel  as 
in  the  vision  of  Abou  Ben  Adhem:  "  Write  me  as  one  who 
loves  his  fellow-men." 

He  believed  in  human  progress.  He  was  a  friend  to  the 
cause  of  education.  He  advocated  this  cause  in  behalf  of  his 
denomination.  He  sought  to  aid  it  in  good  words  and  acts  for 
institutions  established  under  its  fostering  care,  and  espe- 

25 


386  MEMOIR   OF 

dally  in  earl}'  and  timely  endeavors  to  place  the  new  College 
at  Somerville  on  a  permanent  foundation.1 

If  Mr.  Whittemore  was  watchful  of  his  financial  affairs, 
he  was  disposed  to  be  generous,  also,  in  his  bestowal  of  aid  to 
the  needy.  If  he  would  not  be  easily  induced  to  give  in 
answer  to  all  the  appeals  that  came  to  him,  he  had  a  heart 
open  to  the  calls  of  those  less  blest  with  earthly  goods  fhan 
he.  A  ministering  brother  (Rev.  A.  G.  Laurie)  writes  of  him : 

"  'Means  he  made  and  had,  and  he  was  a  minister  of 
Christ,'  said  the  surface-seeing  world.  And  '  means  he  had 
and  gave,  and  he  was  a  minister  of  Christ,'  was  the  blessing 
of  many  ready  to  perish  which  came  upon  him.  From  no 
family  source,  but  from  one  well  knowing  whereof  she  affirmed, 
I  learned,  years  ago,  how,  from  that  house  of  which  he  wiis 
the  head,  flowed  manj*  secret  streams  of  bounty  into  the 
dwellings  of  the  neighboring  poor.  And  I  well  remember 
how,  when  I  came  before  him  fifteen  years  since,  asking  only 
his  influence,  not  his  money,  for  help  to  our  broken-down 
church  in  Canada,  he  equally  surprised  and  gratified  me  — 
unknown,  a  feeble  apostle  from  the  wilderness  —  by  putting 
into  my  hands  the  largest  contribution  I  received  froni  indi- 
vidual help,  in  the  course  of  a  weary  mendicancy  of  three 
months  through  the  chief  cities  of  the  North." 

In  his  domestic  relations,  Mr.  Whittemore  found  great 
enjo}*ment.  Home  to  him  was  the  dearest  of  all  places  ;  and, 
however  absorbed  he  was  in  business  abroad,  he  gladly  turned 
from  its  cares  or  perplexities  to  the  delights  of  the  family 
retreat.  He  was  blest  with  a  companion  of  rare  worth,  who 
was  indeed  a  sympathizing  and  most  efficient  helper  to  him, 
and  of  whom  he  ever  spoke  in  tenderest  praise.  Nine  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them,  four  of  whom  survive. 

1  Since  his  death,  his  large  and  valuable  library  has  been  presented 
by  Mrs.  Whittemore  to  Tufts  College. 


THOMAS    WHITTEMORE.  387 

Such  was  the  man,  the  minister,  the  toiler,  who  wrought 
diligently  and  did  faithfully  that  for  which  he  seemed  so  well 
qualified  by  nature,  and  b}-  the  improvement  of  the  powers 
God  had  given  him.  He  aided  in  a  work  in  his  day  for 
which  we  have  reason  to  "  thank  God  and  take  courage." 
He  lived  to  witness  changes  which  his  own  persistent  labors 
had  helped  to  effect :  lived  to  see  religious  sectarianism  more 
tolerant  than  it  had  been  ;  his  own  church  increasing  in  influ- 
ence as  in  numbers  ;  opinions  which  he  had  discarded  and 
denounced  as  error  questioned,  and  in  many  instances  repu- 
diated by  sects  or  parts  of  sects  who  had  once  held  them  ; 
and  the  very  principles  which  are  the  basis  of  Christian  Uni- 
versalism  boldly  and  eloquently  advocated  in  many  of  the 
pulpits  and  in  much  of  the  popular  literature  of  the  day. 
He  could  afford  to  be  thankful  as  he  realized  this  change,  and 
had  a  right  to  the  conviction  that  his  labor  had  not  been  in 
vain  in  the  Lord. 

Sturdy  and  indomitable  Christian  hero,  —  struggling  up 
through  early  adversities  with  vigorous  trust ;  led  by  divine 
grace  through  doubt  and  darkness  into  the  Gospel's  marvel- 
lous light ;  out  of  weakness  made  strong  ;  valiant  in  ' '  the 
good  fight,"  —  how  art  thou  speaking  to  us  all  as  one  of  the 
world's  heroic  moral  pioneers  to  whom  we  and  our  race  are 
indebted  :  who  lived  for  God's  truth  and  the  rights  of  a  com- 
mon humanity ;  who  died  in  the  strength  of  the  overcoming 
faith,  and  whose  helpful  works  do  follow  him ! 

The  Great  Cause  which  as  a  Christian  minister  he  advo- 
cated will  triumph.  All  weapons  formed  against  it  shall  fail 
to  prosper ;  and  every  tongue  that  rises  in  judgment  against 
it  shall  be  condemned.  It  is  one  of  the  grandest  privileges 
we  can  have  to  contribute  to  its  advancement.  Discourage- 
ments there  may  be,  —  there  are  ;  mountains  of  prejudices  to 
be  brought  down,  valleys  of  human  ignorance  and  degradation 


388  MEMOIR   OF  THOMAS    WHITTEMORE. 

to  be  levelled  up,  that  the  highway  of  the  Lord  may  be  laid 
for  the  redeemed  to  walk  on.  But  humanity  will  not  falsify 
itself  nor  the  Almighty's  purposes  fail.  What  he  has  prom- 
ised he  will  perform.  There  are  hopeful  indications  and 
assurances.  Helper  after  helper  shall  appear  as  the  world  is 
read}'  for  them.  All  things  shall  aid  us,  the  Divine  and  the 
human.  Sects  shall  come  to  this  light,  and  churches  to  the 
brightness  of  its  rising ;  all  truth-seeking  minds,  all  hearts 
imploring  for  the  Father,  all  souls  crying  out  for  rest  and 
salvation.  As  we  would  honor  our  nature  and  bless  our  race, 
let  us  go  on ! 

"  For  Eight  is  Right,  as  God  is  God, 

And  Right  the  day  shall  win ; 
To  doubt  would  be  disloyalty, 
To  falter  would  be  sin." 


THE    END. 


Cambridge :  Press  of  John  Wilson  &  Son. 


